Where We Go From Here
by TheGoodShipFluffy
Summary: Starting a few days after the end of Episode 5, Max and Chloe venture forth into their new life together. Much cuddling ensues. Mainly fluff, but with loose story arcs tying things together, and pretensions at character development. Begun long before BTS was released, and so now conflicts with some aspects of the canon.
1. Waking Up in the New Normal

Max shuddered awake, sitting up with a little start and glancing around the room. The sun peeked through the blinds as she clutched the cheap, slightly itchy covers to her chest and tried to calm down. It wasn't that she saw it every time she closed her eyes or anything, but this was the third time she'd woken up from a nightmare about the Dark Room. It would take time to get past it, she knew.

Time was one thing she had, and in abundance. But after all that had happened, she was happy to leave time to do its own thing for a while. There was no rush, after all. Who knew when classes would start again? Or if Blackwell would even reopen?

She settled back down onto the creaky bed, her breathing steadied. Beside her, her companion stirred and rolled onto one side, stretching an arm across her and pulling her close. Max smiled, and rolled over as well, returning the caress and nuzzling her face into neon blue hair. The arm around her held her tight, and its hand gently stroked her back.

"I've got you," Chloe murmured, giving Max another light squeeze, "I'm here and I've got you." Max just lay in her arms quietly, smiling and letting Chloe's warmth wash over her. She was skinny and bony, and could never quite wash off the smell of cigarette smoke, but there was no place Max would rather be than in her arms, warm and safe and loved.

They lay together for a few minutes. Max buried her face in Chloe's neck, and Chloe ran her hands through Max's hair. In time, the two tilted their faces towards one another, blue eyes meeting blue eyes. Max's heart and breathing sped up again, but for a delightfully different reason, and their lips touched.

* * *

"We should probably get out of bed," Max remarked, although she made no attempt to move from the crook of Chloe's arm. The taller girl reached over to the nightstand on her side of the bed and felt around for her phone, before finding it and checking the time.

"We've got, like, two hours before checkout," she protested, "And if we miss that, we just stay another day. No biggie. Not like either of us have places to be." Max sighed, and nuzzled against Chloe's shoulder a little, wanting to just stay there forever. But one of them would have to be the adult, and Max supposed it would have to be her.

"At least text Joyce and let her know you're safe," Max pleaded, "How many times has she blown up your phone in the last few days?"

"This isn't the first time I've been missing," Chloe replied, although Max could see her start a message out of the corner of one eye. A cheery little ring signaled that the message was sent, and Chloe let the phone drop onto the bed, bringing her newly freed hand around to stroke Max's hair some more. Eventually, the smaller girl gently wriggled out of the embrace and sat up, again pulling the covers up to her chest.

"You know I've seen those, right?" Chloe teased, "And more than seen. You may remember; you were _there._ " Max blushed and reached for her own phone, turning it on and checking the Blackwell email headcount thread. "I swear you weren't this modest back when we'd just do normal sleepovers."

"It just feels different now," Max mumbled, "I know you're looking, and I know you're enjoying, and so I just kind of cover up on instinct." She glanced over her shoulder down at Chloe, who had been partially exposed when she'd sat up.

"But you've got no problem staring yourself!" Chloe laughed as Max spaced out for a moment. She sat up and put her arms around Max's waist, peering over the brunette's shoulder to see the email. A majority of students were accounted for, it looked like. She looked away before she got to how many students hadn't made it.

"Well, I'm hella sweaty," Chloe declared after a few more minutes of cuddling, "I'm gonna go shower." She climbed out of the bed and strode into the small bathroom, taking her time and not bothering with any sort of modesty. Leaving the flimsy door open, she turned on the water, stepped in, and closed the translucent curtain.

Max pulled her knees up to her chest and held them there for a moment, staring into space. Being touched, looked at, desired… She hadn't thought about it much before these last few days. Well, she _had_ , but in an abstract way. Was she pretty enough? Would she be good at… _it_? Did anyone notice her? Those thoughts had never had a face attached to them, until Mr. Jefferson had touched her, looked at her, and desired her, and she hated how dirty it made her feel. But now Chloe was the one touching her, looking at her, and desiring her, and she loved how cherished _that_ made her feel. Except when touching, feeling, and desiring reminded her of before, and things got confusing.

She shook her head and got out of bed, stretching. After all that had happened, covering up in front of her oldest friend, the girl she was pretty sure she loved, seemed like an almost childish thing to do. How could she traverse time and space for a girl, then be too shy to just be naked? "Everyone has a naked body," her mother had told her once, reading from one of those books parents are supposed to read with their kids after their first period or whatever. Chloe had a naked body. A sexy, gorgeous naked body…

"Shower's all yours, Super Max!" Chloe announced, jaunting out of the bathroom. She stopped when she saw Max already up and uncovered, and grinned. Blushing, Max scurried into the bathroom and shut the door. This was going to take some getting used to, she decided as she turned the water back on and stepped into the shower. A lot of getting used to.


	2. Deep Thoughts on the Open Road

**A/N: I guess this one leans more drama and internal monologue than fluff, but I hope it still proves an enjoyable read. Hopefully the next chapter will be fluffier.**

Chloe cranked the window down, then lit the cigarette she held in her teeth. The crisp autumn air cooled the cab, which had been heating up in the midday sun, and she blew the first puff of hot smoke out the window as they drove along the coast road. In the passenger seat, Max shivered a little at the sudden change in temperature, and zipped up her hoodie.

"Do you wanna stop anywhere and get some food?" Chloe asked, hoping to engage Max, "I'm starving." Max blinked a few times, shrugging out of whatever stupor she'd been in, and nodded.

"Sure," she replied, smiling lazily and resting back against the seat, "I'll keep an eye out for food exits." She turned her face and looked out the window, watching the passing trees and road signs.

There it was again. That little bit of distance Max made between the two of them sometimes. It was weird, Chloe thought. She'd been pretty enthusiastic the night before, and even that morning. Maybe it was related to those nightmares, and the Dark Room. Max hadn't gone into detail about what had gone down in there, but Chloe had been there when they first found it and looked through the pictures; she was pretty sure she could guess some of it.

It's not like she could just expect someone to bounce back from that in a couple of days. Especially not in unfamiliar waters. At least, Chloe _assumed_ what they'd been doing were unfamiliar waters to Max. She wasn't a pillow princess or anything, but she was pretty unsure of what she was doing. Then again, that could just as easily have been from her whole Dark Room experience.

It wasn't like Chloe was in perfect emotional shape, either. Two weeks ago she'd been searching for a living Rachel Amber, one week ago Max had kissed her, and a few days ago Rachel had turned up dead in their junkyard. Somewhere in there it had come up that Rachel had been seeing Frank, and that sure hadn't helped. Now she was sleeping with Max and trying not to think of a wrecked town.

She loved Max. She had loved Rachel. Maybe she still did. Was it even possible to love two people at once? Some people said so, but Chloe couldn't help but notice how often they were married men trying to get into her pants. It wasn't like she was going to have to choose between them at some point, or anything. She'd known Max way before Rachel, so it wasn't like Max was some consolation prize to her. If anything, Rachel had been a consolation prize after Max had left. Fuck, that was a shitty thing to think!

"It looks like there's a few fast food places at the next exit," Max remarked, cutting into Chloe's thoughts, "Like, three varieties of cheap burgers and fries. Sound okay?" Chloe glanced over to see Max giving her a kind smile, awaiting an answer.

"Sure," Chloe replied, merging into the right lane, "I'm not real choosy. I haven't eaten since first thing this morning."

"We didn't get anything this morning, though," Max said, apparently a little confused, "We missed breakfast because we were- Oh. Chloe! Gross!" She giggled regardless, and it was the sweetest sound Chloe had heard all day.

"It didn't bother you at the time!" Chloe shot back, laughing as they took the exit ramp off the highway. Max sighed but leaned over, resting her head on Chloe's shoulder and gently nuzzling.

"You're a perv," she mumbled, smiling to herself as they pulled into a parking lot.

"Yeah," Chloe replied, "But I'm your perv." She parked and turned to kiss Max on the top of the head. In return, Max sat up and leaned back in for a light kiss on the lips, draping her arms around Chloe's neck.

After a moment, they broke the kiss and climbed out of the truck. Max smiled sheepishly and made her way toward the restaurant, while Chloe stopped to roll the window back up. Tossing the used cigarette butt off to the side, she closed the door and followed after the shorter girl, hands in her pockets and a smug spring in her step.


	3. Hers

The desk attendant returned Max's debit card, along with a receipt to sign. The price came out to less than Max had feared, but a bit more than she might have liked. Regardless, she signed and handed the receipt back, thanking the clerk and taking the room key.

Outside, Chloe leaned against the side of her truck, smoking a cigarette and watching the moon climb. She looked a little broody, but not in the same sullen way that she used to. Her jacket was zipped up most of the way, the chill of the evening having set in.

"I got us a room," Max declared, holding up the key as she approached. Chloe turned, dropping her cigarette and stamping it out. With a smile, she reached out and put an arm around Max's waist, pulling her close.

"Lead on," she said, grabbing her purse and Max's bag from the cab of her truck, "What magnificent chamber have we been granted in this palace?"

"The venerable and storied suite of Room 004," Max replied, laughing a little at her companion's overblown eloquence. They walked up to the door and stepped into the room, flicking on the light.

The room looked more or less like the others they'd been staying in that week. There were two twin beds, with drab looking covers and simple nighstands by each. Across the room from the beds was a low chest of drawers with a CRT TV sitting on top of it. The far side of the room had a small closet and a bathroom, all of it pretty standard.

Chloe set their bags on the dresser and tossed herself onto a bed, bouncing a little as it creaked on impact. Sitting up, she bounced a little bit more, eliciting more creaks from the bed but finding it mostly solid and comfy.

"The email blast said that classes are cancelled for the rest of the semester," Max stated, plugging her phone charger into the wall and setting her phone on a nightstand, "So it looks like I'm all yours until Thanksgiving." She hadn't been meaning it that way, but even saying that she was Chloe's made her glow a little inside.

"So, what's the plan, then?" Chloe asked, unzipping her jacket and tossing it to one corner of the room, then propping herself up on her elbows, "Just wander around Oregon and Washington?" Max took off her hoodie and hung it up in the little closet the room had, before sitting on the bed and turning towards Chloe.

"There are some things I'd like to get from my Blackwell dorm," she said, settling down onto the bed beside Chloe, "But other than that I don't know. We can't just stay in motels every night for the next month and a half, though."

"I'd offer to let you crash at my place, but I think someone's bathtub caved in my roof," Chloe remarked, rolling onto her side and facing Max, "Maybe I could drive you up to Seattle? I don't have any reason to be in Arcadia Bay, and it's not like it's a long trip, anyway." Max smiled at her and skootched closer, nuzzling her face into Chloe's chest.

"Can we make it a long trip?" the brunette asked, pressing the side of her face to Chloe's sternum. She could hear Chloe's heartbeat, the steady pulse a little faster than her own. For all that her world had become chaos over the last two weeks, moments like this felt like perfect islands of calm and safety. Even after things had settled from "existentialist nightmare" chaotic to just "modern hipster nomad" chaotic, the nights with Chloe were the highlight of her life at this point.

Max felt Chloe wrap her arms around her and roll onto her back, holding Max close against her chest. More than anything she had ever felt, being in Chloe's arms always felt right. To feel herself pressed against her soft breasts and softer skin, to hear the gentle breathing and steady beat of her heart, to see the blue hair and worn tanktop. Even Chloe's smell of cheap cigarettes and generic brand men's deodorant had come to mean safety and comfort to her.

Chloe's hands ran through her hair and down along her neck and back, gently caressing her. At the same time, she could feel the taller girl lean up and kiss the top of her head. Responding with a gentle cooing noise, Max nuzzled against Chloe's chest with renewed enthusiasm, happily pressing her cheek against the thin fabric of Chloe's shirt.

"Max, I love you," Chloe murmured, her arms wrapping tightly around the smaller girl. Max could hear Chloe's heartbeat speed up as she made her confession, and she could _feel_ the words vibrating in Chloe's chest as they were spoken. In response, she pushed herself and moved forward until her face was level with Chloe's, their foreheads pressed together and their breath breaking against one another's lips.

"Chloe Price, I love you, too," Max whispered in reply, touching her lips to Chloe's. They had kissed before. They had cuddled before. They had done more than that, even. But the act of _saying_ they loved each other added a whole new dimension to it all, Max thought.

Max cupped Chloe's cheek in her hand, pulling her face back a little to gaze into the other's eyes for a moment. She adored those lovely blue eyes, so piercing but somehow still so loving when they wanted to be. Chloe stared up at her with tender affection and almost rapturous awe, before leaning up to kiss her once more. One hand wrapped tightly around Max's waist, the other rested at the back of Max's head, and she rolled the two of them over again, so that she was crouched over the petite brunette.

Max's heart pounded in her chest as she lay there beneath Chloe, wrapped up in the young rebel's embrace. She could already sense that this night was going the way of the last night, and the one before that. Confusing, a little scary, and altogether wonderful. But Chloe paused for a moment, climbing off of her and resting at her side.

"What's wrong?" Max asked, glancing around and then back at Chloe, "Did I- Did I do something wrong?" This was all still so new, she wasn't entirely sure what she was doing. Mostly, she just took what she thought she'd like and did that to Chloe, assuming she'd like that just as much. Was that not right? Oh, God, was Max weird?!

"No, you're fine," Chloe reassured her, although she sounded ambivalent, "I just…" She bit her lip and searched for words. "We keep cuddling then kissing then screwing, and I need to hear you say that that's what you want, too."

"Chloe, I just said I love you!" Max answered, taken aback, "I jumped through time and fought my own demons to save you! I sacrificed the town for you!" What more did she want?

"I know you love me, Max," Chloe said in a wavering voice, staring past her and at the drab beige wall, "Jesus, you've gone through so much shit for me, I know that you love me. But, if we do this again, I need to know that it means as much to you as it does to me." She met Max's gaze again. "I'm crazy for you, Max. You don't have to feel the same way; Hell, you don't owe me shit. I only want to keep doing this if you're just as hot for me as I am for you…" Max stared into her eyes, processing the fear and pain and hope she saw there.

"Chloe, it's been a crazy few weeks," Max sighed, keeping her eyes fixed on Chloe's, "I've been groped, assaulted, kidnapped, threatened, and even mocked by weird mental doppelgangers of people. Believe me when I say that there is no place I'd rather be than here, and no one I'd rather be making love to than you." She blushed as she finished her statement, but she didn't care. Chloe was worth a blush, at the very least.

"'Making love?'" Chloe repeated, her voice joyful as she wiped tears from her eyes, "God, Max, you're such a dork!" She laughed and sobbed at once, her shoulders heaving as she pulled Max close and buried her face in soft brown hair.

"Yeah," Max replied, holding her tight, "But I'm your dork." Shifting to get a good angle, Max kissed Chloe's tears off her cheeks before gently breaking their embrace and lying on her back.

"All yours," she reiterated, catching Chloe's eye and grinning. Chloe wiped away the last of the tears and smiled back, taking on an impish look as she brought her face very close to Max's.

"That's all I needed to hear," Chloe murmured before plunging into another deep, loving kiss.


	4. Out for a Smoke

Chloe slouched, propped up by a stack of pillows she and Max had built up where the bed met the wall. It was late, but she just couldn't fall asleep. The warm weight of Max rested against her, head on her chest and an arm draped over her belly. Max was mostly covered by the blankets, but Chloe was uncovered from about the ribcage up. Max might be all modest, but Chloe didn't mind being naked. Hell, she kind of liked it. It made her feel like a Greek goddess or something. Maybe Artemis. That was the huntress one, right? It made sense. She had caught a little doe of her own.

She stroked Max's hair as she idly flipped through cable channels with the sound off. There wasn't much else to be doing, really. Unless she wanted to wake Max up and mess around some more. It was _so_ tempting, but she decided to just let her sweetheart sleep for now.

Lifting the blankets, Chloe took a moment to admire her. Max looked so small and delicate, her pale, slender form nestled close beside Chloe. She knew it was probably those happy hormones people got after sex or whatever, but it felt like she and Max fit together perfectly.

Letting the blankets fall back down to cover them up again, Chloe gently squeezed Max against her, eliciting a happy little sound from the smaller girl. It was stupid, but sitting like this, the base that Max wrapped herself around, and the bigger of the two, made her feel strong. When she had first been reunited with Max that day in the parking lot with Nathan, she had felt like some kind of knight or hero, swooping in on a white steed to rescue the damsel in distress. Of course, every attempt since then she'd made to save the day with violent bravado had backfired spectacularly, and Max had had to be there to solve things in her own soothing, gentle way.

Deciding there was nothing on, Chloe switched off the TV and sat in the darkness, just enjoying being beside Max. What more could she ever want? Chemical dependency arrived to answer that question, though, and Chloe could feel herself getting antsy. She really, really, _really_ wanted to stay in bed with Max, but her pack of cigarettes had different plans.

With a sigh, she slid out of bed and gently eased Max down against the pillow pile, readjusting the blankets around her. Clicking on her phone, Chloe searched the floor for her clothes, settling for her jacket as a top and her boyshorts and jeans as bottoms. Stepping out into the cold, she sat on the curb outside the door and opened her carton of smokes.

There weren't many left, but she plucked one out and lit it, drawing in the hot fumes and letting them sink into her lungs. It wasn't a super glamorous habit, she knew, but she was stuck with it. She rested her arms on her knees, watching the little glow at the tip of the cigarette as it slowly burned its way up to the butt. Hesitantly, she reopened the carton and counted how many she had left, frowning as she took her time puffing on the one she held. When the cigarette ran out, she flicked the butt away, affecting an exaggerated somber attitude.

Standing, she dusted herself off and stepped back into the room. It felt nice to step out of the haze of burnt tar and tobacco and into the warm room. Not that the room didn't smell, either. On top of the normal motel odor, the space smelled faintly of sweat and sex. Grinning to herself, Chloe slid out of her jacket and stepped out of her pants, eagerly climbing back into bed with Max.

The brunette had shifted some in Chloe's absence, and was mumbling some in her sleep. Even as Chloe slipped under the covers, she tossed and turned, whimpering a little. Not sure what else to do, Chloe carefully snaked an arm around Max again, holding her close more or less as she had before she left. Snuggling up closer to Chloe, Max calmed down, but Chloe could feel her eyes blinking open.

"Did you go someplace?" Max asked, tilting her face up to look at Chloe.

"Just outside to smoke," Chloe replied, "I couldn't sleep. I didn't mean to wake you up, though. Sorry." She frowned a little, feeling guilty that she'd disturbed Max yet again for something stupid. But the shorter girl just shifted up a little and nuzzled into the crook of Chloe's neck.

"I wish I'd known," Max murmured, "I would've come up with some excuse to keep you in bed with me." Chloe smiled and stroked Max's hair, turning to kiss her on the forehead.

"Well, I promise I'm staying put for the rest of the night," Chloe reassured her.

"Can I give you an excuse anyway?" Max asked, leaning up to kiss Chloe on the cheek.

"Sure," Chloe replied, turning to touch her lips to Max's.


	5. A Princess and Her Knight

A/N: Just a short little fluff

The soft light of the morning sun being filtered through the translucent curtains lit the room as Max lazily blinked her eyes open. Her cheek was pressed against Chloe's chest, and the taller girl's arms were wrapped around her, holding her close. Closing her eyes again, Max nuzzled against Chloe, smiling as she listened to the steady heartbeat.

The gentle rise and fall of Chloe's chest felt really soothing, and Max loved being wrapped up in her arms. After everything that had happened, it felt nice to just be held. Chloe was gangly, but Max could feel the strength in her limbs, giving her a sense of safety and protection. She could stay like this forever.

Chloe was all she wanted. Max wanted to kiss Chloe, and only Chloe. She wanted to touch Chloe, and only Chloe. She wanted to share herself with Chloe, and only Chloe. They were only eighteen years old, she knew, but she couldn't imagine what a future without Chloe would look like. After all, that's why she'd chosen to let the tornado tear through Acradia Bay. True, the destruction hadn't been as bad as she'd feared, but there was no way she could have known that at the time. All she knew was that Chloe mattered more to her than literally anyone or anything else in the world.

Gently and carefully, Max shifted from Chloe's side until she was straddling her. Her face flushed a little at the way their bodies pressed together, and at resting atop Chloe. It was silly, she knew. She didn't have anything to hide from Chloe, but old habits die hard, and being assertive was still new to her.

Nevertheless, Max leaned forward, lightly pressing a kiss to Chloe's soft lips as she slept. After a moment, Chloe began to respond, moving her hands down to Max's hips and grasping them gently. Slowly pulling out of the kiss, Max rested her forehead against Chloe's, looking into her eyes as they blinked open.

"Oh my, a handsome prince has woken me from my slumber!" Chloe exclaimed, smiling, "How can I ever repay such gallantry?" Max giggled.

"I'm not a prince," she replied, leaning back and giving Chloe a good view of her as if to prove the point, "Just a princess who loves her trusty knight." Chloe blushed a little and sat up, wrapping her arms around Max and pulling their bodies close together. Bringing their lips together once more, Max grasped at Chloe's shoulders, holding on tight as they sank into a cascade of increasingly heated kisses and caresses. Until her stomach gurgled loudly.

"Would m'lady like to be escorted to some breakfast?" Chloe laughed, pulling back a little to smile at Max. Max glanced down, embarrassed that her sexy moment had evaporated over something so silly. She was hungry, though…

"Yes, fair knight," she declared, putting on a tone that she hoped salvaged the situation a little, "Let us ride out from this castle for pancakes and bacon."


	6. Choices and Promises

Chloe slouched in the booth, waiting for Max to come back. She was still glowing from when they had woken up, and Max had called her her knight. That stuff- knight, princess, castle, dumb pet-names and shit- was all just play, she knew, but it felt nice all the same. To be trusted, to be somebody else's rock for once. It helped that she got to pay for food, and half the motels. With stolen money, but still.

"Okay, I found a brochure!" Max announced, returning to the booth and scooting in beside Chloe, "It's got Oregon and Washington both on the map, so it should work." She unfolded the pamphlet and took out a pencil, marking Arcadia Bay, Seattle, and the little town they were in.

"I feel like we can go south and get back to Blackwell today pretty easily," she went on, drawing a line from their location to their hometown, "We can both check in on people and get stuff for a longer trip. Especially some fresh clothes."

"Yeah, I guess we are getting kinda ripe," Chloe conceded, lifting one arm to smell her coat and then snaking it around Max's waist, "What do we do after that?" She wanted to see her mom again, just to make sure she was alright. Fuck, she even kind of wanted to make sure David was okay. But after that, she was pretty much aimless, and content to ferry Max around.

"Eventually, I need to get home to Seattle," Max said, "But there's no rush. We could go to Portland." She circled the city on the map. "Or we could go to some state parks. I don't know. What do you wanna do?" Chloe pondered the question, idly running her hand up and down Max's side.

"Some nature hikes do sound fun," she remarked, "And I'd love to go to Portland again. How about this?" She took the pencil from Max's hand and drew a circuitous route from Arcadia Bay around Oregon, passing through Portland and a few parks before winding up into Washington, hitting several more forests on the way up to Seattle. With a leisurely pace, she hoped they could stretch that into a decent amount of time. Max studied her plan, and nodded.

"Yeah, that looks good," Max agreed, snuggling a little closer to Chloe, "Oh man, I'm going to take so many pictures! It's gonna be great!" She nuzzled against Chloe's shoulder, eliciting a few glances from other guests at the diner. Chloe was used to yokels staring at her punk-rock look, but getting looks for the cutie on her arm was new; Rachel had never even been willing to hug her in public. _Fuck 'em,_ she thought to herself, casually downing the last swig of her orange juice.

After settling on their route, they got out of their booth and Chloe settled up at the register. Once they were all paid, Chloe took Max's hand and confidently led her out of the diner and to the truck. She even opened Max's door for her.

"You're being so genteel," Max remarked as Chloe climbed into the driver's seat, "That's a word I never thought I'd use for you!" She laughed, and Chloe's face burned. She knew Max was trying to be funny, but she still felt a little awkward about it.

"I'm just really proud to be with you," Chloe stated, starting the engine and pulling out of the parking space, "And I want to enjoy every minute of it, as long as it lasts." She turned south out of the parking lot and started to drive down the quiet country road.

"'As long as it lasts,'" Max repeated, studying Chloe's face, "Chloe, what do you think is going on here?" Chloe's heart fell, and her stomach did somersaults. They were finally about to have _that_ conversation. Max had been insisting that she loved Chloe, and Chloe pretty much believed her, but it was one thing to love a girl in a hotel room miles away from anyone you knew. Loving a girl and telling other people, well, that was something totally different.

"I- Well- It's-" Chloe tried to find the right words, "Nevermind. It's stupid." Max sighed and shook her head.

"Pull over," she ordered. After a split second's consideration, Chloe obeyed and came to a stop at the side of the road in a patch of forest. Max opened her door and started walking away from the road, turning and looking at Chloe. "Come over here!"

Nervously, Chloe took her key out of the ignition and followed, to where Max was bent over, picking wildflowers. She wasn't sure where Max was going with this, but at least she had called her over. That was a good sign, right?

Clutching a handful of flowers, Max took her by the hand and pulled her over to a spot under a few trees where the branches made a little canopy. After placing Chloe where she wanted her, Max took a few steps back and held the flowers in both hands. Chloe's heart sped up; she saw where this was going.

"Chloe, I love you," Max said, fixing her eyes on Chloe's, "I really want you to believe that. But at this point, I don't know what more I can do to show you so maybe you'll finally get it." Her words were almost harsh, but her tone was gentle and kind. "So I guess we'll give this a try." She took a small step forward, still looking into Chloe's eyes as they started to well up.

"Chloe Price, I, Max Caulfield, choose you," Max declared, "With the option to choose whatever life I want, whatever destiny I want, I choose you." She stood right in front of Chloe now, looking up at her. "I'm in love with you, and I'm choosing to act on that love." Tears were streaming down Chloe's cheeks now, and she brought a hand up to her mouth, covering the crying smile she'd always hated. Max reached up and pulled the hand away, squeezing it in her own.

"I'm standing here, with you, and that's where I've chosen to be," she went on, "But that's the most I can do. The rest has to be you." She glanced away for a moment, a few tears of her own falling as Chloe stood there, paralyzed with a mix of fear and excitement, dread and joy. "Chloe Price, I want to be your wife. Now it's up to you to decide if that's what I'll be." Chloe pulled her hand out of Max's and then lifted the brunette into a tight, desperate embrace. After a moment of standing there holding Max, Chloe set her down, but still held her close.

"Max Caulfield, I, Chloe Price, want you to be my wife," Chloe murmured, fighting to keep her voice even amidst her tears, "I promise to love you, and to stay by your side, and to trust you when you tell me that's where you want me to be." Max broke out crying in response, smiling through the tears and burying her face in the crook of Chloe's neck.

"And I promise to love you, too," Max replied, "I promise to share my bed, my secrets, and my life with you. I promise to hold your hand with pride, and to stand by you over all others, and to tell anyone who asks that I am madly in love with Chloe Price." She pulled back slightly, staying in Chloe's embrace but standing so that she could smile up at her, wiping tears from her eyes. "You may kiss the bride."

It was all the permission Chloe needed, and she immediately leaned in and kissed Max with as much passion as she could muster. Small, delicate hands ran through her blue hair, and the soft warmth of Max's frame washed over her as they stood, lips locked and arms enmeshed. This moment was perfect, she thought. Eventually, she released Max and stood back a little, grinning down at her love.

"Max, that was hella sweet," she said, taking the brunette's hand and squeezing it tight, "I'm sorry I was so worried and shit. But… Well, I'm just super glad with how it all turned out." Max smiled up at her and slipped one of the flowers into the breast pocket of Chloe's jacket.

"It's more beautiful every time," Max replied, wiping a small droplet of blood from where it trickled from her nose.

A/N: Well, I thought it would be cute...


	7. Return to Arcadia Bay

**A/N: Longest chapter yet, and mostly just story stuff (such as it is). The next chapter will be just fluff and cuteness, as penance.**

"Well, I promise to make you breakfast when you're hungover," Max said, lightly tracing her thumb over the back of Chloe's hand. She rested back against the seat and smiled, enjoying the game and savoring the afternoon sun streaming in through the passenger window and against her. For the few hours since their little ceremony by the side of the road, they'd been exchanging promises on and off, drifting into other conversations and then coming back. At first, they'd be grandiose and romantic, but had soon devolved into lighthearted teasing.

"Okay, then I promise not to get out of bed when you fart in your sleep," Chloe replied, shooting her a cheeky grin. Max leaned over to lightly swat her arm, feigning a scandalized look.

"I do _not_ fart in my sleep!" Max exclaimed, laughing a little.

"You totally do, though!" Chloe insisted, "And I promise to not get out of bed when you do."

"Fine, then I promise to only use emojis for special occasions," Max stated, bringing Chloe's hand to her lips and kissing her knuckles.

"Good," Chloe replied, "Then I promise not to whine so much when you do." The road began to wind a little as they approached Arcadia Bay, and Max steeled herself for what she might find. From what she'd been hearing, things weren't _too_ bad, but the boardwalk and Main Street were pretty totaled. She looked over at Chloe, who continued to drive with one hand on the steering wheel, eyes forward. It was worth it, she knew. She wouldn't change her decision for the world.

Rounding the last gentle curve, they passed into the city limits of Arcadia Bay. The roads had at least been cleared, Max noted, and most of the houses this far out from the town center looked alright. There were some downed tree branches, some broken windows, but mostly alright.

The closer to the center of town they got, though, the worse things looked. More and more buildings were damaged or outright destroyed. After a detour or two, they reached Chloe's house.

"I just want to grab some stuff for the trip," Chloe explained, hopping out of the cab. Max could see through her, though, and climbed out of the passenger side, jogging to catch up with Chloe and take her hand. As they reached the front door, Max gave the hand a reassuring squeeze.

"Hello?" Chloe called as she opened the door, "Mom? Are you home?" They'd been in contact, Max knew, but she was still probably super worried. Max would be.

"Chloe?!" Joyce called from upstairs, "Oh, Lord, Chloe!" Max heard Joyce sprint to the top of the stairs, and then saw her run down to the two of them, taking the steps two at a time. Barreling into her daughter, Joyce pulled Chloe's hand from Max's as she squeezed her tight.

"I'm just so relieved to see you!" she exclaimed, starting to break down into tears, "And Max!" She turned to face her, only partially releasing her daughter, "You two were here when the rain started, then we had no idea where you'd gone! But you're both safe!" She pulled Max into the hug as well.

"Um, where's David?" Max asked when she and Chloe were finally released. Joyce smiled, wiping tears from her face.

"Oh, he's out with the other volunteers," Joyce told her, "Helping to clean up and such. Been worried sick about you, Chloe, even if you think he doesn't care." Chloe scoffed and glanced away.

"He's a big hero now, though," she went on, "He found some Blackwell teacher out in a bunker in the woods, doing awful things- well, you don't need to know the details. But oh, he's just so proud of himself!"

"Yeah, I bet he'll be impossible to live with now," Chloe grumbled, starting up the stairs, "Like he wasn't already." Joyce sighed and Max shook her head. She had told Chloe what had happened in the timeline before this one, where David had saved her. About how he had been so overjoyed when Max had lied and told him Chloe was safe. But Chloe could be stubborn.

"Well, that had less profanity than usual, at least," Joyce remarked, turning her attention to Max and leading her into the kitchen, "I guess you are having a good influence on her after all, Max. Thank you for taking such good care of my little girl." Max blushed. Joyce had no idea, of course. Did she? Oh, God, did she?! Max shivered, but tried not to let it show.

"If anything, she looks out for me," Max replied as they sat down at the little table in the living room, "I'm just glad all of us are safe." She felt a twinge of guilt, knowing that not everyone in town made it. She just hadn't known anyone who died in the storm.

"So, what are you gonna do now?" Joyce asked, "They say Blackwell's closed until next year. I'd offer to let you stay here, but all we've got is the pullout couch, now that Chloe's room got the surprise skylight. I guess the two of you could share it…" Max turned her face away for a moment to hide her blush. Seriously, she couldn't possibly know, right?

"Chloe's actually driving me home to Seattle," Max explained, looking back when she felt her face cool, "I'm sure she can stay with my family for a few months, if the storm's made it hard to have more people living here."

"That _would_ help," Joyce conceded, "Like I said, her room's unlivable right now, and having one less mouth to feed for a bit would mean we could repair the room faster. And Lord knows she doesn't have any responsibilities here. I think a change of scenery could be good for her." Max was relieved. Chloe was an adult and could do what she liked, but she was glad that it would be that little bit easier to stay together for longer.

"Alright, I've got my bags," Chloe announced, clomping down the stairs and coming back to the living room, "I put the rest of my crap against the far wall. _Don't_ go into my closet. Has Max told you our plan?"

"Yes," Joyce replied, standing and walking to meet her daughter, "Just… Promise me you'll be safe, and you'll text me at least once a day to let me know you're alright." She pulled Chloe into a hug again, holding her tight. Chloe rolled her eyes at Max for a moment, before letting her duffel bags drop and returning the hug.

"Alright, I promise," she said, "We'll send you all sorts of cool pics of our adventures and stuff." With smiles and tears, Joyce said her goodbyes to Max and Chloe as they left for Blackwell. Once they were out of sight, Chloe pulled over and parked, taking a few minutes to sob with relief. Max reached over and gently rubbed her shoulder, sitting quietly and just letting Chloe have her moment.

"Okay, I'm good," Chloe declared once she was finished, sitting up again and wiping her face, "It's cool. It's cool." She got onto the road again and reached out to take Max's hand, squeezing it as they made their way to Blackwell.

The parking lot was fairly empty when they arrived. With students gone and most of the faculty on leave, it made sense, but it still felt a little weird. Max thought of the time she and Chloe had been parked in that lot in the middle of the night, on their little heist. It was only a week earlier, but it felt like a lifetime ago.

"So, what all do you need?" Chloe asked as they made their way to the dorms. The taller girl walked with her usual nonchalance, hands clasped behind her head, but Max walked with a bit more caution. There was nothing here that would hurt her, she reminded herself. Mr. Jefferson was in jail someplace, probably. And Nathan, well, Nathan was dead. She thought. He was dead in the next timeline over, she knew, and she figured he was probably dead in this one. Sure enough, a little memorial was set up by the doorway to the boys' dorm. A pretty sparse memorial.

"Clothes, mostly," Max said, opening the building and holding the door open for Chloe, "My computer, my toothbrush, stuff like that. And film, of course." They stepped into the stairwell and started up to Max's floor.

"Naturally," Chloe remarked, smiling, "I don't think I ever saw your room, come to think of it. Kind of ironic."

"Yes," Max agreed, unlocking the second floor door and stepping into the hall, "'The Final Frontier.'"

"Nah, the final frontier is butt stuff," Chloe joked. Max groaned and rolled her eyes as they walked down the hall, blushing a little at the thought but still laughing a bit at the joke. It was a joke, right? After a moment, they reached Max's room, and she unlocked the door, leading Chloe in.

"Here it is," she announced as the door closed behind Chloe, "My superhero fortress of solitude!" Chloe snickered, but quieted down as she looked around. The pictures, lanterns, and posters were just as Max had left them, but it looked like movers or someone had been through to return Kate's rabbit. Just as well, Max thought.

"This is beautiful," Chloe murmured, taking in her surroundings, "Really, Max, this just looks magical." Max smiled as she hastily packed a duffel bag.

"It's not really a big deal," she replied, zipping up the bag and going to retrieve her laptop and charger from the desk, "Just some little lamps and a whole lot of selfies, mostly." Chloe stepped up behind her, wrapping her arms around Max's waist.

"Well, I think your selfies are pretty beautiful," Chloe whispered. Max closed her eyes and leaned back against her… girlfriend? Paramore? Lover? Maybe they really should just use wife? She didn't care what word she used. She leaned against her Chloe.

"Well, I'm all packed now," Max said quietly, running her hands along Chloe's forearms, "Ready to start our big adventure." She felt Chloe's lips on her cheek, warm and gentle.

"No dorm sex?" Chloe asked, feigning exaggerated disappointment. Max smiled to herself, and glanced out her window, seeing the deserted grounds.

"Well…"


	8. A Beautiful Butterfly

**A/N: Okay, here is much more cutesy fluff, much less plot. :) Still within T-range, I think, although a bit heavier on the sexiness than previous chapters. Also, for a bit of background explanation, see my story, "Flower."**

Wife. Wife. Wife. Wife, wife, wifewifewife.

The word echoed in Chloe's mind as they pulled into the parking lot of another motel. All day, ever since she had had her little insecurity moment and Max had done that fucking amazing little ceremony thing, she had been thinking it. Sure, she'd thought about other things, too. Driving, for instance. Also, her mom, packing, hiding her stuff so her mom and the step-douche- er, _David_ \- wouldn't mess with it if they got people in to repair her ceiling. But in the background of her mind, that sweet syllable played on repeat.

Obviously, she knew Max wasn't _really_ her wife. Not yet, anyway. She'd just said she'd wanted to be. But even just saying it symbolically had meant a lot to her. She reached up and felt the flower in her pocket, still where Max had left it. Like usual, she stayed with the truck and had a smoke while Max went in to get them a room, this time with a wad of cash from Wells's money envelope.

But holy shit, "wife!" Reality and logistics aside, the concept just made her glow. And Max had implied she'd been reliving that moment over and over again. What now, though? Were they "dating?" They hadn't really had any formal dates, but Chloe had never really had any formal dates. Well, there was one boy back when she was like fifteen. They'd gone out to lunch, and hugged at the end, but Chloe hadn't really been into him, so they never went on a second. After that, there was no dating. Hanging out, messing around, fucking, sure, but no "dating."

Her phone buzzed, and she checked it: Max had gotten them a room, and was waiting inside. Grabbing their bags from the cab, Chloe made her way to the lobby, where Max was waiting. Taking her bag and Chloe's hand, Max led the way down a hallway of identical doors to the one that matched the envelope of room keys she'd been given. This place was a little nicer than the other places they'd been staying in, Chloe noticed. They were inside, for one thing, and she had seen a pool. Fitting for a honeymoon, she thought to herself.

Even the room was nicer. A little desk and chair were in the corner, and the chest of drawers was actually made of wood. The television was plasma, not CRT. Everything smelled clean. It was just a Holiday Inn, but to Chloe, it was a palace.

Setting her bag down, Max hopped up onto the queen sized bed, falling back and waving her arms and legs as if she was making a snow angel. Placing her own bag next to Max's, Chloe kicked off her boots and joined Max. Immediately, Max grabbed her and pulled her close, burying her face in Chloe's neck. Surrendering to her impulses, Chloe slid down to bring her face next Max's, touching her lips to the brunette's. Just like always, sparks flew for her as the two of them sank into the kiss.

When their lips parted, Chloe rested her forehead against Max's, opening her eyes to gaze into her love's. Time seemed to stand still as they lay there together, and Chloe reached up to slowly and gently run her fingers over Max's soft, freckled cheek. After a moment of staring at one another, Max's eyes blinked, and Chloe grinned.

"I win the staring contest!" she cried triumphantly, sitting up and throwing her arms into the air. Max laughed and sat up as well, finally slipping off her own shoes.

"Want to go out to the pool?" Max asked, "It's kind of cold, but I'll be there's a hot tub." Chloe nodded her agreement.

"It was a lot of fun last time we went swimming," she noted, throwing her legs over the side of the bed and pulling her socks off, "If you don't mind going in in just our underwear again, I'm game."

"Definitely!" Max replied, taking her camera out of her bag and setting it next to their keycards, "We can hang them up in the bathroom to dry afterwards. It'll be fine." They grabbed some towels from the bathroom and left the room, padding down the hall and out to the pool.

The air was cool, and the tiles felt cold against Chloe's bare feet. Moving on tiptoes to minimize her contact with the cold ground, she hurried over to the small hot tub beside the pool and pulled off her shirt, tossing it onto one of the deck chairs. When she tossed her jeans after the shirt, she stepped into the hot water, wincing slightly at the sudden contrast of temperatures. As she sat down, Max switched on the jets and rushed over, setting her clothes by Chloe's and her camera by the edge of the pool.

Chloe watched with amusement as Max gingerly dipped her toes into the water. Gasping at the heat, Max descended the steps until she stood in the center of the pool, then sat down beside Chloe so that their thighs touched. Once Max was settled, Chloe reached an arm around her and gently held her close. In response, Max rested against Chloe's shoulder, humming peacefully.

The underwater lights illuminated their bodies as they cuddled in the small pool, and the rippling water distorted the image. Max lifted her camera and held it in front of them, carefully setting the angle.

"Smile!" She whispered, looking into the camera, and Chloe obeyed. With a flash and a click, the picture was taken, and Max set the camera back down, plucking the polaroid from it. After waving it back and forth for a moment to let it develop, she brought it up and showed it to Chloe. "How do we look?"

Chloe was a little startled. She knew generally what the picture was gonna be, of course. She was in it, after all. Her, Max, close and mostly naked, mostly underwater, and lit from beneath. But she was amazed at the way she looked in the picture. No ironic face, no middle finger, no bong. Her attitude was a part of who she was, and she wasn't going to drop it overnight or anything, but she just looked so happy in the photograph. She'd know that these past few weeks had had some of the happiest moments she'd lived in years, but here was photographic evidence.

"It's- It's great, Max," she managed to stammer. Max set the picture an arm's length away from the hot tub, then leaned in to give Chloe a light little peck on the cheek. Glancing around to make sure they were alone, she climbed up and straddled Chloe, resting as low as she could to stay mostly underwater. Carefully, she took Chloe's hands and guided them down to her hips.

"Do you dare me to kiss you?" Max asked in a quiet, sensual voice, draping her arms around Chloe's neck.

"Totally," Chloe replied.

"Do you _double_ dare me to kiss you?"

"Max Caulfield, I triple dare you to kiss me!" Chloe jabbed, another smile spreading on her face. Obliging, the little brunette leaned in and pressed her lips to Chloe's, the tender kiss soon becoming a fond kiss, and then full on making out. Chloe brought her hands up and took handfuls of Max's hair, who in turn pressed herself even closer to Chloe, shifting back and forth in her lap.

"Chloe," Max breathed in a quick moment of detachment from the kiss.

"Mm?" Chloe asked, seizing her lips again and holding her tight, letting her hands start to wander. Gently, Max pushed herself away a little, breaking the kiss and holding Chloe back. Chloe glared at her, eyes pleading with her to return.

"I, um, I think we should go back to the room," Max whispered, meeting Chloe's gaze. There was hesitation in her voice, but not her eyes. Chloe understood, and hastily rose, sliding her hands under Max's thighs and lifting her bodily up out of the hot tub. Hurriedly, the two wrapped themselves in the towels they had brought and grabbed their clothes and belongings before scampering back to their room.

* * *

"It felt better tonight," Max murmured, tenderly nuzzling her cheek against Chloe's collarbone, "I mean, better than usual. It's always, er, good." For her part, the taller girl leaned down an planted a light kiss on her beloved's scalp.

"It's because of this morning," Chloe said, "I mean, I think it is." She brought a hand up and slowly stroked the back of Max's neck, causing the brunette to softly coo in happiness.

"How do you mean?" Max asked, her words slow and slurred with a mixture of sleepiness, exhaustion, and sex-coma.

"The things you said, they were so sweet," Chloe explained, "These last couple days, well, they've been kind of an adjustment for me." She felt Max raise her eyebrows.

"For _you_?" Max repeated, her voice amused, "I thought you were an old hand at this. I'm the one who's in new territory." She gently planted a wet kiss at the base of Chloe's neck, "Amazing, sexy territory."

"Kind of," Chloe conceded, "But you're such a sweetie. You're used to being sincere and open. I'm used to doing this sort of thing just for fun, or to unwind. But with you, each time, it feels so important, so special, so perfect." Max nodded against Chloe.

"You've done a lot of banging," she summarized, "But not a lot of lovemaking."

"Ugh, that word sounds so sappy," Chloe groaned, "But yeah, that sounds like what's happening, I guess. Am I doing a good job?"

"Hmmmm…" Max hummed, propping herself up on her elbows and facing Chloe, "Yes. You are doing a good job. You have emerged from your chrysalis of angstyness a beautiful blue butterfly of affection and love." Chloe rolled her eyes but smiled, amused at Max's slap-happy pillow-talk. Playfully, she rolled on top of Max, grinning down at her.

"A butterfly?" She repeated, starting to place a series of kisses along Max's jawline and neck, "And what does it mean to be a 'beautiful blue butterfly of affection and love?'" Max closed her eyes and smiled, running her hands through Chloe's hair before gently trying to push her lower.

"It means you like to land on a very pretty flower and give it lots of very special kisses," Max murmured, smiling at how silly they both sounded at this point.

"Oh, well, if I must," Chloe teased from the edge of the covers, before disappearing from view.

"Oh yes," Max insisted, her voice just as teasing, "You- Ooh!- must."


	9. Punk Forest Fairy

Max walked along the dirt trail, gazing up at the trees and listening to the din of the forest. Everything felt at once static and dynamic, timeless and yet ever-changing, ever-growing. With all that had happened, she found that she was developing an appreciation for such paradoxes.

Ahead of her, Chloe had run off and climbed a tree, sitting on a low branch overhanging the trail. Never mind that signs were posted at the trailhead, at the visitor center, and periodically along the trail begging visitors not to leave the path. Max looked up at the blue haired girl cheerfully dangling her legs down over the edge of the branch.

"Look who finally caught up!" Chloe joked, hopping down and landing in a crouch before standing up once more, "Stop to take more pictures?" That gave Max an idea.

"Look who finally caught up!" Chloe joked, back up on the branch.

"Stay there for a second!" Max called, lifting her camera and snapping a picture. Releasing her camera to hang again from her neck and checking the developing picture, she heard Chloe hop to the ground again.

"Do I look cool?" Chloe asked, stepping over and looking down at the photo, "Oh, yeah, I look hella cool! Like some kind of punk fairy or something!" Max slipped the photo into her bag and took Chloe's hand, the two of them continuing down the path together.

It warmed Max's heart to see Chloe smiling and playing in the forest. To see her climbing and running and jumping. In the back of Max's mind, she could still see the other Chloe, immobile and wasting away in her motorized chair. The quiet Chloe, the dying Chloe, the fatalistic Chloe. She loved Chloe, in any time or reality, but that one made her heart break. This one made her heart sing.

They climbed a hill, pausing at the little balcony overlook that had been built at the top. Side by side, they leaned against the railing and looked out over the lake below, and Max put an arm around Chloe's waist. In return, Chloe reached her arm around Max's shoulders, holding her close. Gently, Max nestled her head into the now familiar crook of Chloe's neck, feeling the warm skin against her cheek.

"I love being here with you," she whispered as they stood back from the railing, turning to face each other. Eagerly, she clung to the taller girl, nuzzling and caressing as they stood on the wooden overlook. Chloe held her close, strong arms crossed across her back.

"I love being pretty much anywhere with you," Chloe murmured in reply, tilting Max's face up with one hand and leaning down for a gentle kiss. A light wind blew past them, making the warmth of their bodies pressed together all the more precious. When at last they broke and continued along the trail, Max had a renewed spring in her step.

"God, I can't even remember the last time I walked through some woods that didn't have beer cans or a tweaker camping in them," Chloe remarked, looking around the forest as they walked, "I guess this is why we pay taxes. You know, if I paid taxes." Max was glad Chloe was enjoying herself. When they'd made their plans, she had been worried Chloe was just agreeing to whatever she said to buy time together.

"Hey, hollow tree!" Chloe exclaimed, pointing to a massive hollowed out trunk and letting go of Max's hand to saunter over to it, "Get a picture!" Catching up, Max raised her camera again and snapped a shot of Chloe, hunched over slightly to fit in the natural archway into the hollow.

"The continuing adventures of the punk fairy of Deschutes," Max declared, presenting Chloe with the picture. The blue haired girl smiled as she examined it.

"Okay, now I'll do you!" Chloe said, lifting the camera from around Max's neck and stepping back, "Do a pose, do a pose!" Feigning confused amazement, Max stood in the archway as though she was stepping into Narnia or something.

"How did I do?" Chloe asked, showing Max the picture.

"You did just fine," Max replied, taking the picture and putting it into the pocket of her bag with the others, "Now together!" She took her camera back and cuddle up close to Chloe, holding the camera out in front of them and snapping a selfie.

"So, do you know what punk fairies do?" Chloe asked, stepping back into the hollow and straightening up, pulling Max in with her.

"Oh? What?" Max asked in reply, blushing and smiling at once as they stood in the cramped space.

"They steal beautiful maidens to live with them in the forest," Chloe explained, grinning down at her and running her hands through her hair. Max laughed and snuggled up close to Chloe's chest.

"Oh no! Have I been kidnapped by a punk forest fairy?" Max exclaimed jokingly, "I'm trapped in her magical prison!" Now it was Chloe's turn to laugh.

"Dork," she snickered, stepping out of the tree for a moment, then coming back in, "I'm a punk knight, here to rescue you from the punk fairy's evil, sexy clutches!"

"Oh, thank God!" Max cried, flinging her arms around Chloe's neck, "I had worried I was going to be trapped here forever, a slave to her amorous whims!" Chloe led her out of the tree, then hoisted her up into a bridal carry, walking back over to the trail.

"All in a day's work," Chloe assured Max, setting her down back on the path. They both dusted themselves off, and continued along the trail, hand in hand.

"How can I ever repay such heroism?" Max wondered aloud, squeezing Chloe's hand.

"I dunno," Chloe replied, grinning at her as they neared the visitor center and parking lot, "I guess you'll just have to come live with me in my castle and be my lady-love." Max giggled and moved closer, putting her arm around Chloe's waist once more, and settling into her side.

"Sounds fair enough."


	10. Downpour

Rain hammered down on the truck as they huddled in the cab. Eventually, Chloe had felt uncomfortable driving, and pulled them over at a rest stop to wait it out. With each crack of thunder, Max whimpered and flinched.

"Shh, shh, it's fine," Chloe said, reaching over to rub Max's shoulder, "We're safe." Max hadn't used to react like this to storms. Hell, Chloe remembered several times the two of them had run around in the downpour in her backyard, laughing and playing.

"I didn't do anything," Max insisted quietly, pulling her knees up to her chest and staring into space, "I haven't been changing anything, I swear." Wait, did Max think that this was another storm that she had caused? It couldn't possibly be that, could it?

"Max, this isn't your fault," Chloe assured her, reaching down and squeezing Max's hand, "This weather system has been developing for days." Max glanced up at her hopefully.

"Really?" Max asked. Chloe nodded, pulling her close and kissing her on the forehead.

"Yeah, it's been on Weather Channel and everything," Chloe explained, "Come on, these happen around this time every year."

"I guess so," Max conceded, still quiet and subdued.

"Hey, come here," Chloe murmured, clicking Max's seatbelt out and pulling her over onto her lap, their legs perpendicular, "Everything's fine, okay?" Max nodded half-heartedly and clung to Chloe, her grip tightening when thunder rumbled. Carefully, Chloe wrapped her arms around Max and held her close, nuzzling her cheek against the shorter girl's forehead.

"Will you sing to me?" Max whispered. Chloe bit her lip in hesitation for a moment, but then gave a gentle smile. It took her a moment to think of a song that wasn't a riot-grrrl thrasher, but she eventually thought of something that would work. Softly, she began to sing.

"Strange how you know inside me, I measure the time, and I stand amazed," she began, "Strange how I know inside you, my hand is outstretched towards the damp of the haze." Max made a quiet, appreciative little noise, nuzzling against Chloe.

"And of course I forgive," Chloe continued, "I've seen how you live, like a phoenix you rise from the ashes. You pick up the pieces, and the ghosts in the attic, they never quite leave." She kissed the top of Max's head before continuing.

"And of course I forgive, you've seen how I live, I've got darkness and fears to appease. My voices and analogies, ambitions like ribbons worn bright on my sleeve." Max looked up at her, teary eyed but smiling.

"Strange how I fit into you," Max murmured, continuing from where Chloe had paused, "There's a distance erased with the greatest of ease." They squeezed one another. "Strange how you fit into me, a gentle warmth filling the deepest of needs." Max sat up a little, touching her forehead to Chloe's as they continued the song together, trading lines informally.

"-I am sure, like never before, of my reason for defying reason-" Max moved and shifted until she was straddling Chloe, looking down at her for once.

"-Time unfolds the petals for our eyes to see-" Chloe grinned as she sang that line, amused at how Max blushed.

"-We just hold on fast, acknowledge the past as lessons exquisitely crafted-" Max gently placed her hands on Chloe's cheeks, as Chloe slid both hands down her sides and to her hips.

"-How swiftly we choose it," Chloe murmured, her breath warm against Max's face.

"The sacred simplicity of you at my side," Max finished, the melody almost entirely lost as she leaned down and pressed her lips to Chloe's. Outside the cab, lightning still flashed and thunder still cracked, but neither of them minded. After a long while, they finally broke the kiss, but remained pressed close together.

"I love that song," Max whispered, her cheeks still wet from her earlier tears but her face beaming, "But I'm kind of surprised you do." Chloe smiled sheepishly.

"Not exactly mosh pit music, I'll admit," Chloe replied, holding Max close, "But I looked up some of the indie stuff going on in Seattle, at one point." She turned her head and kissed Max where her neck and jaw met. "Almost like I had hoped to maybe go there and go out to a concert with someone who likes indie music." Max sat back a little, smiling at Chloe and resting their heads together again.

"Chloe Price, you are downright thoughtful," she teased.

"Of course I am," Chloe replied, "I'm a beautiful blue butterfly of affection and love, remember?" Max laughed a little, and then it was Chloe's turn to initiate a kiss, the rain continuing to pour as they fell silent.

 **A/N: "Eric's Song" by Vienna Teng is really super beautiful, though…**


	11. Chloesexual

"Okay, my parents know we're on our way," Max announced, hanging up her phone and putting it back into her pocket as Chloe left the bathroom, drying her hair from the shower, "They've transferred some money into my account to cover expenses on our way up, and they've said you're welcome to stay for a while."

"Thanks," Chloe replied, "I haven't seen them in years, it's really nice of them to let me stay, sight unseen."

"Well, they said they were excited to see you," Max assured her, smiling, "I told them to go ahead and put the air mattress in my room." Chloe raised her eyebrows.

"What do we need an air mattress for?" She asked, "Did you never upgrade from your kid bed or something?" Max sighed.

"I haven't told them yet," the brunette explained cautiously, "About us, being- being whatever it is we are now." Chloe studied her, staying silent. "I just don't think that over the phone is the way to tell them."

"Makes sense," Chloe conceded, sitting on the edge of the bed opposite Max and pulling one knee up to her chest. Frowning, Max crawled across the bed and gently wrapped her arms around Chloe's waist. Halfheartedly, Chloe tried to shrug her off, but didn't really commit to the effort, and Max remained. They sat quietly, Max holding onto Chloe while Chloe tried to remain stoic.

"Chloe Price, you are not my secret," Max murmured, resting her chin on the taller girl's shoulder. She wished Chloe would just trust her, but Chloe's fear of abandonment was deeply ingrained. Some of it was from stuff Max knew about, like William dying and Max moving away. But she suspected some of it had to do with Rachel, too.

Chloe had blown up when she'd learned Rachel and Frank were a couple, and Max could guess why. To be cheated on would be bad, she thought, but Chloe had never said she and Rachel had been an item. Best case scenario, Rachel just didn't return Chloe's obvious affections. The worst case scenario, though, was that Rachel had been willing to get involved with Chloe only in secret, hiding her like some embarrassing guilty pleasure. Being treated like a side item to something "real" would have been terrible.

At length, Chloe gently leaned her head against Max's. A minute or so later, she gently broke from Max's grasp and turned towards her. Reaching out to take her hand, Chloe looked Max in the eye and spoke.

"I trust you, Max," she said, squeezing her hand, "I know in my head that you're not planning to hurt me or anything. But in my gut, I still feel like I've been here before, and I don't like it." Max frowned, thinking again about what Rachel and Chloe's connection may or may not have been.

"What about this worries you?" Max asked, meeting Chloe's gaze.

"I don't know what exactly you're not telling your parents," Chloe explained, "That you're in love with me? That you're in love with a girl? That you could even _be_ in love with a girl? Just, how big a deal is this gonna be? I get you're not going to hop out of the truck and be all 'Hey, Mom, I'm gay!' as soon as we pull up or anything, but how long will we be pretending not to be a thing in front of your parents?" It was a lot of questions, and Max wasn't completely sure what her answers.

"I don't think my parents will be upset we're a couple," Max said, "I mean, they might not be as willing to let us share a room, but I don't think they'd be upset that we're dating." A smile flashed across Chloe's face at the word "dating."

"I've always kind of crushed on girls, but always just kind of crushed on boys too," Max went on, "I never talked about stuff like that with my parents, and I've never really acted on romantic feelings before you. So I don't think I can say I'm a lesbian, or bi, or anything for sure. Just that I'm Chloesexual." The smile stayed on Chloe's face this time, and she snickered.

"How about we tell them together the morning after we get there?" Chloe suggested, "That way, no matter what, we get to enjoy our first night in Seattle in bed together." Max breathed a sigh of relief, glad to see Chloe satisfied. She lay down on the bed, and Chloe quickly nestled beside her, resting her head on Max's chest for once.

"So, what should we tell my parents we are?" Max asked, stroking Chloe's hair, "Girlfriends?"

"Sounds a little too ambiguous," Chloe replied, her smile in her voice, "How about 'Sapphic consorts?'" Max giggled.

"Lovers?" She countered.

"That's not bad," Chloe remarked, "A little dramatic, though. 'Orgasm friends?'" They went on, laughing at themselves and one another.

"'Main squeezes?'"

"'Best gals?'"

"'Special ladies?'"

"'Love units?'"

"'Cuddle-buddies?'"

"Let's just keep it simple," Chloe finally suggested as they both settled down, "How about we go with 'dating.' If anyone asks what we are to each other, I'll just say you're 'my Max.'" That sounded good, Max thought, her heart fluttering.

"Works for me," she whispered, leaning down and kissing the patch of blonde that was developing on Chloe's scalp, "I like it. 'My Chloe.'"


	12. Night on the Town

Chloe and Max sat together in the back of a little dive in Portland, listening to a local punk band. When wandering around town earlier that day, a "public relations coordinator," probably just a friend of the band's, had given them both a flyer for the "5 for $5" show. Judging it to be probably the best value entertainment they were likely to find, the two had decided to go.

Max couldn't really tell the bands apart, except for that this one had a female lead singer, and that one had a male singer. To say it was just "noise" to her would be inaccurate, but she lacked the experience to really appreciate the genre. They'd moshed a bit, until Max had gotten knocked down pretty hard. Chloe had immediately broken from the crowd to scoop her up and lead her into a safe corner.

"Are you alright?" Chloe asked, trying to both be heard over the noise and maintain a gentle tone. The smaller girl nodded.

"Yeah, just a little bruised," Max replied, smiling sheepishly and rubbing her shoulder. Pulling her jacket down and rolling up her sleeve, Chloe inspected the spot Max had rubbed, and leaned down to give it a kiss.

"There, all better," Chloe announced, grinning. Max smiled at the blue haired girl and draped her arms around her neck, pulling their faces close. With the din of the music filling the space, Chloe felt almost like her blood was pumping in time with the rhythm. Reaching down, she grasped Max's thighs and pulled her up onto her lap, resting their forehead against each other.

Her eyes darkening and a smile crossing her lips, Max leaned in for a kiss, which Chloe readily accepted. Releasing the denim-clad thighs, Chloe reached up to stroke Max's hair, loving how easily and naturally her fingers slipped through the soft brown hair. The band finished the song they were playing, but the hum of chatter and laughter continued.

"Alright, this last one goes out to the baby dykes making out in the back!" the singer on stage declared into the microphone, "Don't forget to come up for air, you two!" Max broke the kiss and blushed deeply at her words, but Chloe just laughed and leaned to the side to make eye contact with the band.

"Bite me!" She called back cheerfully, flashing a friendly middle finger at the band. Max buried her face in Chloe's shoulder, tremors of quiet giggling vibrating between them.

"I think she's already on it!" the singer called back as the band began to play. The room filled again with music, and Max sat up, smiling down at Chloe. When Max looked at her like that, the rest of the world always seemed to blur away. It was dorky and romantic, but Chloe had eyes only for Max at moments like this.

Their lips met again, and pushed against each other to the sound of the music. Arcadia Bay and the surrounding little towns had had a certain local punk rock scene, but it felt different to be in a decently sized city. The bands were better, the atmosphere was more genuine, and she and Max weren't even the only pair of women fooling around there! Arcadia Bay would always be her hometown, she acknowledged grudgingly, but she could get used to this.

Once the last band had finished their set and announced they'd be selling merch by the door, Max shifted off of Chloe and they both stood. Taking the other girl's hand, Chloe led her out onto the street, trying not to focus on the smell of cigarettes from all the smokers outside. Max hadn't said anything, but Chloe could tell just by the frequency of kisses that she didn't like when Chloe smoked. It was a hard habit to kick, though.

"So, night's still young," Chloe remarked, "Wanna do anything else before we crash for the night?" They walked leisurely down the street, in the vague direction of the truck.

"I'd love something to eat that's not fast food or diner food," Max conceded, clinging lovingly to Chloe's arm as they walked.

"Fair enough," Chloe replied, enjoying the feeling of Max's warmth cuddled up beside her, "Keep your eyes open for someplace to eat." Eventually, the pair settled on a Middle Eastern place close to where they'd parked. She didn't admit it, but it was the first time Chloe had had Middle Eastern, or really any ethnic food, for that matter; Arcadia Bay wasn't exactly a cosmopolitan oasis of culture.

Portland, though, was something else. There were hipsters all over the place, at least in the trendy neighborhood they were wandering in, and rocker girls aplenty. There were girly dudes and manly chicks, and all other variations of gender and sex. Nobody stared at them as they walked together. For the first time in a long time, Chloe, the queer, punk-rock rebel of Arcadia Bay, didn't feel out of place.


	13. Photographic Evidence

Max's eyes fluttered open as she woke, nestled as always in the safe confines of Chloe's arms. The rise and fall of the taller girl's chest was soothing, and she spent a while in a half-conscious limbo, slipping in and out of sleep as Chloe's steady heartbeat moored her loosely to reality. This was just her life now, and it was perfect. Whatever else came their way, it couldn't be too bad provided she kept waking up like this.

Things would probably change once they got to Seattle in a few days, though. It wasn't as if she thought her parents were going to try and break them up or anything. That said, none but the most progressive and free-range parents likely to allow their teenage daughter to share a room with the person she was dating. On the other hand, there was no way she was getting pregnant, and Chloe didn't have any STDs. She assumed not, anyway. They hadn't done any testing, but everything _seemed_ healthy. But parents not wanting their children to be having sex felt more like a squick thing than a practical thing. Whatever. They'd have all day, every day to themselves, and besides, they were the Blackwell ninjas.

She scooted up to bring her face close to Chloe's, and smiled to herself as she watched her love sleep. Chloe looked so peaceful, and Max softly brushed a bit of hair out of her face. The color was fading from the blue hair closer to her scalp, and then new hair that had been growing was, of course, her natural blonde. The notion of the adult Chloe as a blonde again was surreal to Max, and made her think too much about the dying Chloe from the other timeline. In time, the blonde would probably supplant the blue, but she was in no rush for that to happen.

Being careful so as not to actually waken Chloe, Max reached for her camera and sat up a little, trying to get a good shot. Satisfied with the lighting and composition, she snapped the photograph and placed it and the camera on the nightstand. Jarred awake by the flash and sound of the camera, Chloe opened her eyes and glanced around, her eyes softening as they settled on Max.

"Look at Max, taking pictures of naked girls," Chloe teased, clasping her hands behind her head.

"Just your face," Max replied, blushing a little but smiling, "I don't know if I'd ever take a nude." She reached over and grabbed the developed photo, showing it to Chloe as if to prove it was innocent. Taking the photo and studying it, Chloe raised her eyebrows.

"It's weird to see myself so calm," she admitted, putting the picture back on the nightstand.

"People are usually pretty calm when they sleep," Max pointed out, settling back down against Chloe's chest, "But yeah, you looked pretty serene." Chloe scoffed.

"Not really a word you'd usually use to describe me," she remarked, idly stroking Max's hair.

"True," Max conceded, lifting her head to look at Chloe, "You're usually more dynamic."

"Heh, that's a word for it," Chloe scoffed, "But a nice choice." She smiled, and Max shifted up to steal a playful little kiss. A playful kiss turned into a tender kiss, a tender kiss turned into a passionate kiss, and a passionate kiss turned into a very nice way to start the morning.

* * *

"I love you!" Chloe declared breathlessly as she flopped back on the bed, closing her eyes and practically glowing. Before she'd let herself collapse next to her Chloe, Max reached out for the camera again and snapped a photo of the blue haired girl's face, setting it beside the first to develop. Her work finished, Max lightly fell on Chloe and quickly found her favorite comfy snuggle position.

"Did you just take a sex-coma picture of me?" Chloe demanded, a smile in her voice.

"Maybe," Max mumbled, listening to the rapid beat of her beloved's heart, "If I did, would you want to see it?"

"Sure," Chloe replied, although they stayed there, immobile and catching their breath for another few minutes. When she felt up to moving again, Max rolled over and retrieved the picture, admiring it and holding it out for Chloe.

"Damn, Caulfield," Chloe remarked, grinning and blushing a little upon seeing the photo, "You really make me look good."

"You make you look good," Max told her, nuzzling back into her shoulder, "I just document it."


	14. Homecoming

**A/N: This is the longest chapter yet...**

Chloe glanced to the side as Max shifted around in her seat, fidgeting. She'd been like that all morning, and it had only been getting worse the closer to Seattle they got. Granted, it wasn't as if Seattle had had a tornado pass through it, but Chloe could still kind of see why she might be nervous. A lot had changed for Max since she'd started at Blackwell, and most of the big stuff wasn't anything she could share with her parents. "Hey, mom and dad! I can travel through time, my favorite teacher turned out to be a murderous rapist, and also here's the girl I'm banging!" Not exactly casual conversation.

"Alright, we should be getting off the 5 soon," Chloe stated, checking the exit markers and road signs, "Where to after that?" Max checked the directions on her phone, and gave a series of instructions. They pulled off the highway and onto a city street, turning from there onto a residential street after several minutes. As the addresses started to get closer and closer to Max's, Chloe slowed down, scanning for her house. At last they arrived, and Chloe pulled into the driveway.

It was a big, nice looking house. The Caulfield's had apparently moved up in the world from their house back in Arcadia Bay. That was the point of leaving Arcadia Bay in the first place, she supposed: Better job in Seattle, more money, bigger house, all that shit.

Chloe walked around to the other side of the truck to help Max with the bags. Max had already pulled out her own duffel bag and was scanning the windows of the house. Chloe reached into the back of the cab and grabbed her bags, dropping them on the pavement.

"Whatcha looking for, Max?" She asked. This _was_ the right house, right? Max hadn't messed with some shit back in time that led to her actually living in Canada or some shit, had she?

Without warning, Max pulled Chloe in for a long, heated kiss. She even got a little handsy. Not out of the question for Max, but a little surprising, especially in public. After a minute, Chloe was released and staggered back, grinning at her blushing but cheerful Max.

"I just, uh, wanted one last big kiss before we have to tone it down for a few hours," Max explained sheepishly, lifting her bag and starting towards the front door. Closing the door of the truck, Chloe whistled cheerily and followed after her, lugging both of her own duffel bags. Max knocked on the door as she came up a little behind.

"Oh, Max!" Vanessa exclaimed as she opened the door, stepping forward to welcome her daughter with a hug, "I'm so glad to see you home safe!"

"Thanks, Mom," Max replied, returning the hug and smiling as they parted, "Yeah, we're both fine." Mrs. Caulfield turned to face Chloe, who was still standing a little ways behind Max.

"And Chloe!" Vanessa added, pulling her into a similar hug, "It's so wonderful to see you again!" She released Chloe, but continued beaming, looking her up and down. "You've changed and grown so much!"

"Yeah, five years'll do that," Chloe remarked, an involuntary edge entering her voice. She hastily tried to go back to friendly. "It's great to see you again, too. Thanks for letting me stay with you all and Max for a while. My, uh, my room kind of got caved in during the storm." Max's mother herded both girls into the house, directing them to set their bags at the base of the stairs and then leading them to the kitchen where she'd prepared a small smorgasbord. Ryan joined them shortly after, repeating the hugs and greetings of before.

The afternoon was spent doing a lot of catching up, some between Max and her parents, but also a lot of Vanessa and Ryan asking her about her life. It got a little tense for Chloe here and there, of course. Her life since her Dad died hadn't been quite as precious as Max's seemed to have been. She made it through without much profanity, or too many lurid details of her punk rebel life. It would have seemed almost like a miracle, if it weren't for the frequency with which Max would kick her and give her meaningful looks, wiping her nose and getting paler as time wore on.

"Well, it's getting late," Ryan remarked after some time, glancing out the bay window at the setting sun, "We were thinking of going out for a celebratory dinner, to welcome you two to Seattle. How about you bring your things up to Max's room, and change into something nice, and we can go out."

"Okay, that sounds great!" Max replied, smiling and getting to her feet, "We might want to shower first, but in half an hour?" Vanessa and Ryan agreed, and Chloe got up, following Max down the hallway. When they were out of sight of her parents, Max staggered and Chloe reached out to steady her. When it was apparent that Max could stand and walk, Chloe released her but lifted both sets of bags, following Max up the stairs and to her room.

"I'll try to be more careful about what I'm saying," Chloe promised sheepishly, keeping a close eye on Max as they reached the landing, "I guess you had to keep rewinding because I said something stupid." Max glanced over her shoulder as she opened the door to her bedroom and walked in.

"It wasn't too bad," she replied, sitting on the edge of her bed and letting her shoulders slouch, "Just try not to say 'fuck' so much."

"Fair enough," Chloe conceded, setting their bags down and looking around the room. Max's bed was in the far corner of the room, covered in a dark grey bedspread. A spacious closet was opened across from the door, and a dark stained dresser stood along the wall between the two. Another door stood ajar on the other side of the room from the dresser, exposing the tiled floor of what Chloe assumed to be the bathroom. A bookshelf stood near the bed, and a desk was nestled beneath a dormer window. Posters and photographs covered the walls. An air mattress had been inflated and laid out on the hardwood floor, with blankets and a pillow set on top of it.

"Do you want to shower first, or should I?" Chloe asked. Max stood and gave Chloe a sly look.

"I'm not sure how steady I am," Max stated, nevertheless confidently closing the door behind them, "I think I might need you in there with me, just in case I fall." Chloe grinned.

"Anything for my Max," she replied, immediately starting to pull off her clothes.

* * *

The Caulfields had decided on a nouveau American farm-to-table place for dinner. At first, Chloe had been a little skeptical, but she'd known to keep her mouth shut. As it turned out, though, an eighteen dollar burger of grass-fed beef and a side of fresh cut, sea salt sprinkled fries _was_ a lot better than the greasy crap they served at the hotdog stand down by the boardwalk in Arcadia Bay. Who knew?

They sat around the table, first Ryan, then Max, then Vanessa, then Chloe. They hadn't exactly _conspired_ on it, but Chloe was glad she and Max had thought to sit across from one another. If they were staying on the down low for the night, it was just as well to not be constantly wanting to reach down and hold her hand under the table. Plus, it meant Chloe got to look at her.

Max looked stunning in the dim light of the restaurant. She had put on a bright red sundress for the evening, and had draped her white cardigan over the back of her chair. Chloe had luckily thought to pack something at least sort of nice when she grabbing clothes from her room, and had dressed herself in a dark blue collared shirt with a plain black tie, matched with dark, untorn jeans. She desperately hoped that she looked even half as good as Max did. She wasn't sure _how_ , exactly, but she resolved to eventually make enough money to take Max out to nice places like this, wearing nice clothes and eating nice food.

The car ride back to Max's house was pleasant but quiet, with Ryan and Vanessa making small talk with the two of them. In the darkness of the backseat, Max apparently felt safe enough to reach out and take Chloe's hand, and their fingers remained intertwined for most of the journey back from the middle of the city to the Caulfields' idyllic neighborhood.

"So, did everything look okay in there?" Ryan asked Chloe as he and Vanessa started upstairs, "We figured there'd be enough space, but if you want the guest room, you're welcome to it. It's got a real bed and everything."

"It's fine, Mr. Caulfield," Chloe assured him, leaning against the wall in the foyer, "It'll be like some kind of never ending slumber party."

"Dad, Chloe and I are going to stay up for a bit and watch a movie," Max stated, "But we'll see you tomorrow." She smiled, and Ryan laughed.

"No need to tell me twice," he remarked, turning and climbing the stairs, "This boring old person will leave you kids alone, now." Chloe and Max both listened for the sound of Ryan and Vanessa's door closing. Upon the telltale click, they turned to one another and grinned, padding into the den.

"They usually read in bed for a little while before falling asleep," Max explained, her voice a little hushed, "I figure we should try and kill an hour before we go to bed. If you want to, um, _do_ anything there, that is."

"Damn right I want to sex you up," Chloe replied, keeping her voice similarly quiet, "What should we do in the meantime?"

"We could always do what I said we'd do, and watch a movie," Max suggested, "But we can do something else, if you want."

"Can we go into the backyard?" Chloe asked, glancing out the window. Considering for a moment, Max nodded, leading Chloe through the kitchen and out the sliding door onto the patio.

Taking Max's hand, Chloe led her out onto the grass. Standing in the middle of the yard, she slipped her other arm around Max's waist, holding her close. Taking Chloe's lead, Max placed her arm around the taller girl's shoulders, holding on tight. To no discernable rhythm, they began to slow dance. Sometimes they swayed gently, sometimes Chloe would gently twirl Max, and sometimes they just held one another.

"I've never really done this before," Max murmured, resting her head on Chloe's shoulder.

"Bullshit, you danced with Steven Halloway at the Valentine's Dance back in seventh grade," Chloe teased, nuzzling against Max's forehead.

"Fair point," the brunette replied, "But I mean, danced close to someone I love, danced so it actually meant something." Chloe smiled at those words, pressing a kiss against Max's skin.

"Your house is really nice," Chloe remarked, "I can see why you'd leave Arcadia Bay for this. Not that I don't think leaving Arcadia Bay is enough of a motivation to leave Arcadia Bay." Max looked up at her, hurt in her eyes.

"Chloe, I never _wanted_ to leave you," she whispered, gently pulling away, "My dad got a new job in Seattle, and so we moved. Yes, I think that Seattle is a better city than Arcadia Bay. But-" She cupped Chloe's cheek, "If someone had given me the choice then, to stay in Arcadia with you or move here without you, I'd have chosen to stay with my best friend. And if I have to choose now, between you and Seattle, I'd choose to stay with my Chloe." Tears began to cloud Chloe's eyes as Max spoke, and when she murmured those last few words, Chloe seized her in a tight embrace.

"Max Caulfield, I love you," Chloe breathed, holding her Max to her chest. Together, they lay down in the grass, looking up at the moon and cuddling for warmth on the mid-autumn night.

"Do you think that, if I'd stayed, we would still have fallen in love?" Max wondered aloud. Chloe thought about it. Just as much as she couldn't imagine the rest of her life without Max, she couldn't imagine what the past five years would have been like _with_ her. She shrugged.

"I can't know what might have happened," she replied, "You're the time chick. All I know is that, in this timeline, after the nineteen years I've lived only once, I am in love with you, and that's enough for me." Max was silent for a time, but clung to her and nuzzled affectionately. After a little while, the brunette sat up and looked down at her, a look at once solemn and ecstatic on her face.

"I think my parents are asleep," Max whispered, "Ready to come up to my room?"


	15. Moment of Truth

Max's heart raced as she led Chloe up the stairs. It wasn't like this was their first time, of course. But it was their first time in a real house. She supposed it was silly, but making love in her actual bed made it all seem more real. Not that the last week hadn't been real enough on its own. It could also have been the knowledge that her parents were sleeping not fifty feet away. It all felt at once very adult but also very high school.

Padding into her room, Max shut the door behind them, fastening the bolt just in case. Her parents didn't make a habit of barging into her room unannounced or anything, but she didn't want to take any chances. Turning and leaning her back against the door, she looked at Chloe, barely visible against the darkness, aside from her pale face and hands.

Moving with what she hoped looked like grace, she walked to her bed and sat down, still keeping her eyes on Chloe. The taller girl turned to return her gaze and approached, slowly undoing her tie and shirt. Time seemed to crawl as she moved closer, shrugging out of her shirt as she reached Max.

"You look gorgeous," Chloe murmured to her, "I've never seen you in a dress before." She looked Max up and down, sitting beside her and running a hand along her side. "At least, not since you grew tits." Max snorted and pulled Chloe in for a kiss, unbuttoning her shirt further.

"And you look amazing," Max whispered in return. Their lips locked again, and the night proceeded. Clothes came off, strewn across the floor as their owners moaned and murmured. Their hands and lips explored one another, the excitement of new discoveries beginning to give way to the wonder of intimate familiarity.

When they finally lay there panting, nestled beside each other beneath the covers, Max sighed deeply. To Chloe, this space probably could have just been another hotel for all it mattered. But to her, it was the room she'd gone through most of adolescence in. Max had just started puberty when they'd moved here. This was the room where she'd had her first sex dream. This was the room where she'd first touched herself. To make love to Chloe here too felt at once right and surreal, but she was happy to have had the chance. In the morning, she and Chloe would tell Mom and Dad that they were dating, and then they'd probably be put in different rooms. That wouldn't stop them from having sex, of course, but just for this one night it was nice to share her bed, her real bed, with the girl she loved.

* * *

Max and Chloe sat at the kitchen table, eating breakfast. It wasn't as good as Joyce's, Max had to admit. Her family weren't big breakfast people, mostly stocking Whole Foods cereal and toaster waffles. Chloe didn't complain, though, which she appreciated.

Mom and Dad had been up for a little while by the time she and Chloe had finally gotten out of bed. She'd stalled a little, and Chloe hadn't been in a hurry to get up, either, so they'd spent a good hour just cuddling and kissing. But eventually, they both agreed it was time to get up and get dressed. Which left them in the kitchen, eating a late breakfast, while Mom and Dad did yardwork before going on Sunday errands. She'd have to tell them when they came back into the house.

"So, what are you two planning to do with your Sunday?" her dad asked, washing the grass-stains from his hands. Max heard the front door open and close, meaning her mom was in from watering her plants. This was probably the best time to tell them…

"Probably just settle in some," Max remarked, glancing over to the hallway, "Maybe I'll show Chloe around downtown." Mom came in, opening the fridge and taking out a can of diet soda. Max took a deep breath. It was time.

"And we, uh, have something we need to, um, tell you," she went on. Both Mom and Dad turned their attention to her, listening. "Me and Chloe are dating." Dad shut off the water, and Mom set down her can of soda.

"I see," Dad said, looking back and forth between the two of them, "That, um, makes sense." Not exactly a resounding show of support, but not bad.

"What your father is _trying_ to say is that you two were always so close," Mom explained, "So this is certainly a surprise, but not a shock." That was a little better.

"Exactly," Dad agreed, nodding, "And we love you, and accept you, and we welcome Chloe." They were both taking this pretty well, Max thought. Almost like it was rehearsed.

"Wait, did you already know?" Max asked, glancing at them hesitantly. They both looked elsewhere, Mom getting very interested in her drink and Dad boring a hole into the countertop with his eyes. "You knew!"

"I could, er, see you two snuggling in the car in the mirror," Dad said.

"And you're not as quiet as I think you thought you were last night," Mom added. Max turned beet red, and Chloe coughed.

"Just, um, please keep it down?" Dad requested, "You're both legal adults, and a surprise baby isn't in the cards. Your mother and I just don't want to hear any of… _that_."

"And with that, errands!" Mom declared, spinning on her heel and leaving the room. Dad stammered a hasty goodbye and followed. A minute or so later, Max heard the car pull out of the garage.

"Well, that could have gone worse," Chloe remarked a moment later, "God, your parents are free range." Max leaned over and nuzzled her, turning to put a kiss on her shoulder.

"Cat's out of the bag, I guess," Max sighed, "But they didn't try to split us up, so that's good."

"Sounds like we'll be just fine if _someone_ can keep herself quiet," Chloe replied teasingly, playfully jabbing Max in the side, "My fault, though. I guess I'm just that good." Max blushed but smiled, sitting up and turning to face her Chloe.

"Maybe we should just get the noise out of our systems before they get back," she suggested, grinning.

"Sounds like a plan!" Chloe replied, hopping to her feet and making a beeline for the stairs. Laughing and blushing, Max followed.

 **A/N: Max's parents are probably cooler than one can reasonably expect about this, but I'm here to write cutesy romantic stuff, not family drama.**


	16. Library

Max groaned and collapsed onto her desk, face buried in her folded arms. Chloe, who had been lying on Max's bed reading, glanced over from her book.

"What's up?" She asked, marking her page and setting the book down. Max groaned again, then got up and came over to the bed, flopping down beside her and groaning a third time. Not sure what else to do, lightly patted Max on the head.

"Blackwell just sent me an email with a bunch of PDFs," Max explained, her voice muffled by the bedspread she was speaking into, "It was a whole bunch of projects to work on while classes are out of session." Chloe frowned.

"I mean, it probably beats having to spend an extra semester there," she noted, "Really, what else were you planning on doing for two months?"

"I don't know," Max mumbled, "Stay in bed and cuddle you all day?" Chloe smiled at the thought.

"Tempting as that sounds, I don't want to drag you into dropout-dom with me," Chloe replied. Max reluctantly pulled herself up and slunk back to her desk, opening the file and skimming it.

"Well, I'll need to get some books from the library," she remarked, "Any interest in going out today?"

"Sure," Chloe answered, sitting up, "Let's see your fancy city library."

* * *

"God, your city library is fancy," Chloe muttered, gazing up at the massive glass building, "You're sure this is the place?"

"Yes, Chloe, this is the library," Max assured her, "Well, the Central Library. The local branch wasn't going to have everything I'll need." She glanced down at her book list, on which she had marked the call-numbers of all the items. As Max walked up to the main entrance, Chloe sauntered along after her, still amazed at the scale and splendor of the building. It was strange looking, but definitely more interesting to look at than the cinderblock cube back in Arcadia Bay.

Inside, she followed Max around the stacks. They slowly zigzagged up and down the aisles, Max pulling down this novel and that monograph, carrying them as a stack until Chloe took them off her hands so she could carry even more. Turning down one row, Max set down her stack of books and stood on her tiptoes, reaching up to a high shelf to try and retrieve a book. Setting down her own stack, Chloe reached up and snatched it.

"Thanks," Max sighed, resting back down on her heels. She turned and looked confused as Chloe still held the book aloft, grinning.

"You want this book?" Chloe asked, teasing and slowly backing up down the aisle. Max rolled her eyes but began to smile, glancing around as she began to pursue Chloe.

"Yes, I want it," she hissed, closing with Chloe and reaching up for the book. Chloe managed to keep it from her, though.

"Well, you're going to have to make a _very_ good case for why I should give it to you, then," Chloe replied, backing up against a pillar but still holding the book high. Their eyes met, and Max approached her, moving with slow and steady grace now.

"Can I _please_ have that book?" Max asked in a mock seductive tone. Grabbing for it again, Max pressed herself against Chloe and dragged her fingers down the taller girl's arm when she couldn't quite reach. From there, she traced her fingers lightly down Chloe's sides, still pressed close and looking up with puppy dog eyes. " _Please_? I _need_ that book…" Chloe leaned down and forward slightly.

"Then kiss me, you nerd," she whispered, grinning. Hesitating only slightly, Max pressed a kiss to Chloe's lips, who in turn wrapped her arms around the brunette's waist. When they finally broke, Max stepped back, face flushed but beaming.

" _Now_ can I have the book?" she asked, holding out her hand.

"Sure," Chloe replied, handing over the volume, "But you're going to have to hella earn the rest of the stack I've been lugging around."


	17. Catching Up

Thunder rumbled in the distance, and Max flinched. It wasn't as bad as the day that she and Chloe had gotten caught in a storm on the road, but thunder and storm clouds of any kind were still upsetting for her.

Part of it was the memory of the Arcadia Bay storm itself, just two weeks earlier. The howling winds and torrential rain, with trees coming down and the town below starting to fall apart, none of that was going to be fading from her memory any time soon. But the bigger issue, the thing that really made her tremble at the sound of a storm, was the thought of losing Chloe.

Just like the dying Chloe begging for death, the Chloe on the hill by the lighthouse in the storm haunted Max's dreams. The brave Chloe who had urged Max to sacrifice her, to give her up for the sake of Arcadia Bay, the town she hated. The Chloe who, at least in that moment, believed that hundreds were going to die because she was still alive.

That Chloe, at least, was alive and safe, snoring quietly beside her. Max shuddered to think about what would have happened if she'd gone back and let Nathan kill Chloe. Would the storm still happen? It had never made sense to her how the survival of one girl, one scared, distraught girl, could somehow generate a hurricane. Even just the thought that Chloe would be dead for nothing made her want to cry.

What else would have been different? Would she have been able to save Kate? Would Nathan have lived, carted off to some boutique "treatment center" to kick back for a bit before going out and raping more people? She shook her head and turned from the window, looking down at the sleeping form beside her.

As rain started to patter against the window, Max settled down next to Chloe, trying to pull the taller girl over to rest against her chest. Groggily, Chloe cooperated, settling her head on Max's shoulder and nuzzling in. Safe and warm and just where Max wanted her.

"You're real, right?" Max asked quietly, kissing the top of Chloe's head and breathing in her scent.

"Last time I checked, yeah," Chloe mumbled. Shifting a little more, she lifted her head and glanced out the window. "Max, I'm not going anywhere." All the same, Max held her a little tighter.

"Sorry," Max whispered. Chloe shook her head and settled back down against her chest.

"We've been through a lot," Chloe conceded, "Mostly you, honestly. I'm not expecting you to get totally chill overnight or anything." Max smiled a little, glad Chloe was at least paying lip service to being at ease with her insecurity.

"I love you," Max murmured, nuzzling her face into Chloe's hair again, "I want to spend forever with you."

"I guess that's a luxury you have," Chloe remarked, propping herself up and smiling at Max, "For all I know, this is like the millionth time we've had this conversation." Max smiled and shook her head.

"No, only this once," she replied, leaning up to kiss Chloe gently. Then leaning up to kiss Chloe gently. Then leaning up to kiss Chloe gently yet again. "Okay, maybe I've done that a couple times now." Grinning, Chloe leaned forward and stole another kiss.

"Well, that's just not fair," the taller girl remarked, her lips still close to Max's, "There's just no possible way I can catch up!"

"Doesn't mean you shouldn't try," Max whispered in return, smiling playfully. Chloe laughed.

"For glory!" Chloe hissed, leaning in for another kiss, dwelling there for a moment before pulling back just enough to count the kiss as ended before leaning in for yet another. Max giggled but gladly went along with it, trying each time to hold Chloe close for a longer, deeper kiss.

"I should also mention," Max murmured, a blush on her cheeks and a sly smile on her lips, "That I rewound one time we made love… So maybe you should try and catch up with me on that, too?"

"Oh, hell yes," Chloe replied, snickering and sliding a hand along Max's body, "No way I'm taking that lying down!"

"Well, sometimes," Max pointed out, giggling, and then gasping as Chloe's hand found its destination.


	18. Fire

Chloe stretched as she woke, working out a bit of tension. She wasn't out of practice or anything, but Max had been especially enthusiastic the night before, and the repeated tensing of her whole body left her a little sore. Not that she minded, of course.

Sitting up leisurely, she looked out the window. It was still pretty cloudy, and a light rain was falling, but the storm from last night had passed. Without incident, she noted. When things got scary, she tried to be strong and sure for Max, but she hadn't exactly made it out of the Arcadia Bay hell week without a couple emotional scars of her own. On the hill by the lighthouse, she had tried to be brave and heroic, volunteering herself to die for the town. But Max had chosen her, over the whole town, and that had meant the world to her. Each time clouds gathered on the horizon, though, Chloe wondered if maybe this would be the time Max blinked her out of existence.

Max wouldn't do that, would she? Chloe looked down at the sleeping brunette beside her. It wasn't that she doubted that Max loved her, it was just that, well, Max was such a good person. At a certain point, if faced with the choice repeatedly, could she really leave more and more people to die just for Chloe? It was a scary thought.

But not a super realistic one, Chloe thought as she lovingly stroked Max's hair. There was no way that she could really matter enough to actually cause that storm, right? She mattered to her mom, she knew. To David too, she supposed, even if he was really shitty at actually showing it. She'd thought she'd mattered to Rachel, but not enough to be more than a secret girlfriend, it seemed. She _definitely_ mattered to Max, and that was what was most important to her. But to major weather systems? It seemed like Hollywood bullshit.

In response to Chloe's hand running through her hair, Max gently began to wake, stretching as well and groggily opening her eyes. Chloe smiled down at her, trying to pretend she hadn't been thinking about heavy existential shit. Max had worried about her enough.

"Good morning," Max greeted, smiling lazily and curling to rest her head in Chloe's lap. Automatically, Chloe reached down to stroke her hair again.

"And a good morning to you, too," Chloe replied, lightly tracing her fingers along Max's jaw, "Did I tire you out enough that you slept fine the rest of the night?" Max snorted.

"I slept like a rock," she conceded, "You're so competitive. I should have goaded you into trying to win at sex sooner."

"Hey, I only live everything once," Chloe pointed out, "I've got to fit in as much as I can." She hadn't planned it, but she laughed at the double entendre. Max blushed, but otherwise let it slide, eventually sitting up as well.

"So, what are our plans for today?" Chloe asked once her Max was facing her.

"Reading for school, mainly," Max said glumly, shrugging, "But that's just me. _You_ can do whatever you want." That was technically true, but Chloe was reluctant to ever let Max out of her sight, and she definitely didn't want to just go and wander around Seattle while Max stayed at home working.

"Eh, it's a little cold and wet out, I think," Chloe remarked, touching the back of her hand to the cool glass of the window, "And I don't know what I'd go and do, anyway. I'll just stay her with you."

"We could start a fire," Max noted, and Chloe stared at her quizzically.

"In the fireplace," she clarified, a little sheepishly, "We could light a fire in the fireplace and cuddle up in the living room while I do my reading."

"Sounds great," Chloe said, grinning.

* * *

Chloe wasn't sure if it was possible to feel any warmer than she did in that moment. Naturally, one could feel hotter. But _warm_ , meaning comfortable, safe heat, seemed perfectly encapsulated in that morning. The light rain outside had gotten a little heavier, pattering steadily against the windows, and the house was a little cold, the heat having been left off during the Indian Summer of the past few weeks. But Max's living room felt nice and toasty, with a crackling fire going in the fireplace.

Chloe was sitting at one end of one of the couches, settled in the corner of the arm and the back. Max reclined next to her, leaning against her as she read. Both of them shared a soft, wooly blanket, draped over Chloe's lab and wrapping around Max. The warmth of the petite brunette snuggled up next to her, sealed in beneath the blanket and bolstered by the heat of the fire, made Chloe feel amazingly cozy and comfortable. She kept one arm draped around Max, holding her close, while the other alternated between checking Facebook on her phone and reading a novel she'd borrowed from the library the other day.

At length, Max closed the book she'd been reading and set it down on the floor, giving off a satisfied sigh. In response, Chloe set down her own book and glanced down at her companion.

"Okay, I'm done with that section," Max declared, maneuvering her arms up to stretch and flex her fingers, "In case you were wondering, there were no actual teapots involved in the Teapot Dome Scandal. Or anything else I'd be interested in." Chloe laughed quietly.

"Condolences," she replied, leaning down and giving Max a light kiss on the scalp, "Although I don't know how you could possibly make a real teapot scandalous. Maybe draw a boob on it, I guess." Max giggled.

"Or make it in the _shape_ of a boob," Max suggested, "Where the nipple is the spout."

"Oh, naturally," Chloe agreed, gently squeezing Max and grinning as they joked. As their laughter died down they settled into a comfortable silence, just cuddled up together by the fire on a rainy day. Softly, Max snuggled up closer, resting her head on Chloe's chest and closing her eyes, smiling contentedly.

"I could get used to this," she murmured, reaching up and snaking her arms around Chloe's neck, "Will we have a fireplace one day?" Chloe considered the question. In her head, she'd just kind of been assuming that she and Max were going to stay together for the rest of their lives, but she hadn't really thought too hard about what their life together might look like. Max was hella talented, and maybe she could really hit it big as a photographer, but it struck Chloe that she really didn't bring much to the table, financially.

"Sure," Chloe replied, trying to just focus on fantasy and not logistics, "And a balcony overlooking the ocean." Max smiled up at her.

"And a wine cellar?" she asked hopefully. Chloe raised her eyebrows and feigned shock.

"Max Caulfield, you want a wine cellar?" Chloe pretended to clutch at imagined pearls.

"I don't get trashed on cheap vodka and expired beer," Max admitted, "But I've had a fair share of wine in my time. Mostly at like holiday dinners and stuff, but still." Chloe filed the information away for later.

"Well in that case, we can have a wine cellar," Chloe replied, "And a forest for a backyard." Max pulled herself up a little and nuzzled into the crook of Chloe's neck.

"It sounds perfect," she murmured. Chloe agreed, but couldn't help feeling a little anxious about it all. She didn't exactly have the means to give Max a big house with a fireplace and wine cellar, overlooking the sea and abutting the woods. She had a truck, a bedroom, and that was about it.

"Being with you is perfect," Chloe whispered back, "Anything else is just icing on the Max cake." The brunette in her arms smiled and moved up for a kiss, dwelling at her lips for an endless moment before resting her forehead against Chloe's and opening her eyes. Her blue, enchanting eyes that Chloe loved to get lost in.

"Chloe Price, I will buy you a big beautiful house one day," Max declared, smiling and touching her hand to the side of Chloe's face, "I will be a big, famous artist making hella cash, and you can be my loving housewife." The tone was ridiculous, but Chloe loved it. She loved being silly with Max. She loved thinking about a happy future with Max. She loved that Max talked about what they would do together, not what she expected Chloe to do for her. Mostly, she just loved Max.


	19. Ho-hum Halloween

Max shivered as she followed behind Chloe, glancing around. Halloween in a graveyard had sounded fun at the time, but in practice it turned out to be cold and dark. And a little spooky…

"C'mon, c'mon!" Chloe hissed, glancing over her shoulder and smiling, "There's a really cool looking crypt over here!" Max hurried after her, camera in hand.

When she caught up, Chloe was lounging against the sealed door of a large marble mausoleum. Her face was pale, made up to make her look ethereal. When Max had asked what she was supposed to be, Chloe replied that she was "a scary punk ghost." For her part, Max had put on a set of bunny ears…

"Get a pic!" Chloe urged, posing as Max crouched and lined up the shot. After the first photo slid out of the camera, Chloe shifted, moving from pose to pose as Max snapped a picture of each.

"Very nice," Max remarked, bringing her camera down and gathering up the photos from where they had fallen to the grass. When she looked up again, Chloe was sitting against one carved column on the crypt, smirking. Standing, Max walked over and handed her the pictures, settling down across from her and shivering again.

"These _are_ good, Max," Chloe agreed, smiling at the brunette as she looked through the small stack of photographs, "You're on a roll tonight!" Max scoffed.

"An entire roll, actually," she noted, tapping the camera, "Those were the last shots left in this roll of film. So no more pictures tonight, I guess." She was a little disappointed she was out of film already. Initial discomfort aside, she'd found that taking pictures of the monuments in the cemetery, sometimes on their own and sometimes with Chloe posing, to actually be pretty fun.

"Well, balls," Chloe grumbled, handing the photos back to Max to be stowed with the others, "What do you want to do now?" Max thought for a moment, reluctant to head home quite yet.

"Let's walk around the rest of the cemetery," she suggested, "We'll finish the loop, then we can drive back home."

"Sounds good to me!" Chloe replied, standing and reaching out a hand to help Max up, "M'lady." Giggling a little, Max took her hand and pulled herself to her feet.

The two of them walked leisurely along the path, quietly taking in the moonlit scenery. Again, Max shivered, mostly from the cold. To her surprise, she felt something warm draped over her shoulders.

"Any better?" Chloe asked, releasing her jacket and smiling hopefully. Grateful for the warmth, Max pulled the coat closer around herself.

"Much," she replied, smiling back, "But aren't you cold?" Chloe shrugged and scoffed. It was bullshit, Max knew, but Chloe was still accustomed to acting tough.

"Nah, I'm plenty warm," Chloe assured her, "I don't want my girl getting a cold or something." The term of endearment made Max smile. _Her_ girl. Maybe it should have sounded possessive, she thought. But mostly it sounded sweet, and made her glow.

"All the same," Max replied, taking the jacket off and handing it back to Chloe, "I don't want _my_ girl getting a cold, either." Chloe blushed at her words turned back on her, and Max grinned. She loved it when Chloe blushed like that. She looked so cute, all the more so because she usually tried to act tough and aloof.

"You're putting me up for like three months for free," Chloe pointed out, trying to drape the jacket over her again, "Seriously, the least I can do is lend you my jacket." Max rolled her eyes a little and twisted out of Chloe's grasp, snatching the jacket and sliding the sleeve back up Chloe's arm. Accepting her fate, the taller girl slipped back into the jacket.

"How about this, instead?" Max suggested, snuggling up next to Chloe and pulling the taller girl's arm around her shoulder.

"This works," Chloe agreed, smiling as she held Max close to her. Happily, Max wrapped an arm around Chloe's waist as they walked. She knew it probably wasn't the most exciting Halloween of Chloe's life. She hadn't asked, but she figured Chloe would have preferred to go to a wild party, or pull some vandalism. Max, on the other hand, had spent her Halloweens since aging out of trick-or-treating helping her parents give out the candy. Not exactly a wild night. So she had hoped that late night pictures in the cemetery would be a good middle ground.

At length they reached the gate, and slipped through the gap they had exploited. Glancing around to make sure they were still undetected, the two scurried across the street to where Chloe had parked, hopping into the cab of the truck. It would seem the night was coming to a close, Max conceded to herself.

"So, did you have a good time?" Max asked, trying to suss out whether this Halloween had been a dud for Chloe.

"Sure," Chloe replied, her voice cheerful, "I got to be a scary punk ghost, haunting the graveyard!" Max smiled to herself.

"Scary punk ghost haunting the graveyard, punk fairy taking over the forest," Max recounted, "You're kind of leading a punk takeover of the whole state!" Chloe laughed.

"What can I say? I've got hella charisma!" the taller girl replied, chuckling. Max still wasn't sure if Chloe was satisfied, but at least she was pretending to be, if nothing else.

With a little direction from Max, they eventually got back to the Caulfield house, parking in the driveway as usual. It felt a little late for Max, but in reality it was only eleven, a good hour before her weekend curfew. Time travel powers aside, she had to admit that she wasn't particularly exciting. Not like Chloe. Hell, the door wasn't even locked when they got to the end of the front walk.

"Oh, hey girls!" Mom greeted as they came in, "Did you have a fun, spooky Halloween?" She stepped out of the kitchen and into the hallway.

"Yeah," Max replied, kicking off her shoes as she closed the door behind her, "I got some really good shots."

"Just so long as you weren't doing shots," her mother joked, "The neighbor kids missed you, but I'm glad you had fun!" Turning, Max's mother returned to the kitchen, probably on her way to the den. Max's parents always watched "Hocus Pocus" after the trick-or-treaters finished for the night. God, her family really _was_ dull!

"I'm, uh, sorry we didn't do something more exciting," Max mumbled once she and Chloe were back in her room. The taller girl looked at her quizzically, shrugging out of her jacket and hanging it on one of the hooks on the door.

"What do you mean?" Chloe asked, "I thought you said you had fun."

"I did," Max replied, "But, I mean, you're probably used to doing wild stuff on Halloween, not just posing for pictures and going for a walk." She fidgeted a little, anxious to finally give voice to the concern she'd had all night. Chloe sighed and took Max in her arms.

"Max, do you know what I did last year on Halloween?" she asked, her voice a little bitter, "I got hella baked out in the junkyard with Trevor and Rachel, and then we played chicken with trains until Trev nearly got hit because he was so spaced out." She sighed, squeezing Max a little closer, "So yeah, I've had more exciting Halloween nights. But this one tops all of 'em. Because I got to spend it with you." Max blushed a little, and nuzzled her face against Chloe's shoulder.

"I'm glad I could make it worth your while," Max murmured, pressing her cheek to the warm skin of the crook of Chloe's neck.


	20. Attempted Pancakes

Chloe examined the recipe, frowning a little. She'd never really been much for cooking since Dad died, and she'd been able to microwave shit and bum diner food ever since. But she was tired of eating dry cereal (especially since Max's parents wouldn't buy Froot Loops or anything like that. Just organic oat flakes and crap), and she had a lot of time on her hands.

Trying her best to remember what to do, she cracked the egg on the rim of the mixing bowl, emptying the contents into the basin. Mostly. Grumbling, she wiped the gooey dribbles of eggwhite from the countertop, and then fished a few shards of shell out of the bowl. Once things looked more or less passable, Chloe began to stir. Or beat? That's what the recipe called it. Chloe snickered to herself. She was beating it in the kitchen…

She added the milk and butter next, stirring them in with the egg until it was all just kind of an even slurry. Checking the next step, she poured in the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar, going on to mix all of that in as well. It _looked_ like it had the right consistency, so she set the griddle on the stovetop to heat.

"Here it goes," Chloe muttered, pouring out dollops of batter onto the heated griddle. They sizzled, and she carefully watched the puddles, trying to gauge when she should flip them. Eventually, she just went ahead and slid the spatula under each pancake, flipping them one after another. Waiting what seemed like the same amount of time, she scooped the pancakes up and piled them on a plate. Turning off the stovetop, she took two forks and knives and walked over into the dining room.

Max sat at the head of the table, books and papers laid out in front of her as she worked. Her hair was disheveled, and she had just pulled on a T-shirt and sweatpants that morning, diving straight into work when they'd gotten out of bed. Chloe was pretty sure the little brunette hadn't actually eaten anything yet today, which had been part of the reason she'd decided to try cooking something.

"Max, I brought you noms!" Chloe declared, sitting down near her beleaguered companion and placing a set of silverware by her hand. Max looked up, glancing first at Chloe, then the pancakes, then Chloe again.

"Did you actually _cook_?" Max asked, smiling and looking a little surprised, "These aren't Eggo toaster pancakes, are they?"

"No, they are not Eggo toaster pancakes," Chloe assured her, "They're real life, made from scratch flapjacks. Try one!" Taking her knife and fork, Max cut a bite from one pancake and brought it to her mouth. She chewed for a moment, then swallowed.

"Oh, they're good!" Max declared, giving a smile. Skeptical, Chloe took a bite as well. Just as she'd feared, the pancake didn't taste particularly good. Not _bad_ , per se, but she figured there was only so far you could really screw up pancakes. Mostly, it just tasted kind of bland, and a little gritty.

"You're lying," Chloe replied once she'd swallowed, "But it's sweet that you did…" Max looked away sheepishly.

"I wanted to be encouraging," she mumbled, turning the page of textbook, "But they're alright, though, really! Especially for a first attempt!" She turned back to Chloe, smiling and looking a little apologetic.

"Well, hopefully the next batch will turn out better," Chloe remarked, taking another underwhelming bite, "One of us is gonna have to learn to cook…"

"I can cook," Max protested, gulping down a few more bites of Chloe's pancakes. Chloe raised her eyebrows, smirking.

"Yeah?" she asked, "Because we've been at your house for like a week and a half now, and all either of us has 'cooked' has been a bunch of PopTarts, Eggo waffles, and frozen tater tots. Well, and these pancakes." Max shot a playful and defiant look at her.

"Mom and Dad are gonna be out at a thing tomorrow night," Max stated, "So, Chloe Price, I am going to cook us a romantic dinner!" Chloe grinned, liking the sound of that.

"Oh, really?" she challenged, echoing Max's playful tone.

"Yeah, really!" Max stuck her tongue out at Chloe, who feigned offense.

"Fine!"

"Fine!" They sat in silence for a few minutes, quietly chewing on Chloe's attempted pancakes as Max worked and Chloe watched her, smiling. Sharing a room, cooking for each other. Holy crap, it was almost like they were real grownups!

"But really, though," Max noted, swallowing her last bite of pancake, "These actually weren't that bad." She always knew just what to say…


	21. Dinner Date

Max hurried between the kitchen and dining room, setting the table while making the final preparations on dinner. It wasn't like she'd cooked up some kind of gourmet feast, or anything. Just some rosemary chicken breasts, twice baked potatoes, and a simple salad. Despite her bragging the day before, she had needed to consult the internet once or twice, and nothing she'd cooked had even really been that complex. But she still wanted everything to be perfect.

Setting the two plates across from each other at the table, she carefully arranged the silverware and napkins. The fork went on the left side, right? Crap, what about the napkin? If she got it wrong, would Chloe care? Would she even notice? It didn't seem like something that would particularly bother her, but Max was still anxious. At length, the table was set, the lights were dimmed, and the candles were lit. Taking a deep breath, she walked to the foyer and stood at the foot of the stairs.

"Okay, dinner's ready!" Max called up, "You can come down, now!" After a moment, Chloe appeared at the top of the stairs, and started to descend. She had dressed up in the same outfit she'd worn on their first night in Seattle, the dark blue shirt and jeans with the black tie. She probably hadn't packed any other nice clothes, Max figured. Considering how gorgeous Chloe looked in that outfit, though, Max hardly thought she needed to have packed anything else.

For her part, Max had worn a white blouse and burgundy knee-length skirt. They weren't going out for a night at the opera or something, but Max hoped she looked pretty. Especially when compared to how much Chloe made her want to melt, she started to feel a little underdressed. The taller girl didn't say anything about it though, and Max led her into the dining room.

"This looks really good, Max," Chloe remarked as the two of them sat down, "Like, really. And you put out a nice tablecloth and everything. You really went all out!" Max blushed a little. She was glad Chloe was impressed with her effort. It remained to be seen whether the meal would be anywhere near as impressive, but the night was off to a good start.

"Thanks," Max replied, unfolding her napkin and settling into her seat, "I mean, I'm not any kind of great chef or anything. But I hope you'll like it…" Chloe smiled at her, and cut a bite of chicken off, bringing it up to her mouth. The blue haired girl's face brightened as she chewed, and she smiled and nodded at Max as she swallowed. Taking a bite herself, Max was relieved to find that the chicken was, indeed, pretty good. Not anything special, but good for something home-cooked by a teenager.

Their conversation flowed nicely as the two ate. Chloe's table manners weren't great, Max noticed, but she did seem to be making an effort. It wasn't like Max cared too much anyway, though. So long as Chloe was happy, she wasn't going to get too picky.

But to see Chloe happy! Her sweetheart had been improving steadily over the last several weeks. When Max and Chloe had first reunited that day in the parking lot, Chloe had seemed so hard, so rough, and, most of all, so bitter. The rest of that week had been a rollercoaster, with Chloe bouncing from giddy to catatonic, apathetically resigned to loud and angry. Since they'd left Arcadia Bay, Chloe had been settling down, and Max was glad.

She was still plenty punk, of course. Chloe was Max's dear friend in any reality, but the raw Chloe, full of attitude and defiance, was the Chloe Max had fallen in love with, and she had no desire to see that Chloe fade into "normal." But there was attitude, and there was genuine emotional anguish, and the latter seemed to have been evaporating every day. More and more, the smirk she'd come to love was seen alongside the smile she remembered from childhood. Of course she knew Chloe wasn't going to recover from five years of loss, isolation, and abandonment in a month, but her emotional state was less turbulent, at least.

"Max, that was fricken' amazing!" Chloe remarked as she finished her last bite of dinner, leaning back in her chair and patting her belly for effect. Max smiled, glad Chloe had enjoyed everything. After all the crazy stuff they'd been through together, it felt a little silly to want to impress Chloe with her _cooking_ , like she was trying to snag a husband in the 1950s or something. But she couldn't help it.

"I'm glad you liked it," Max replied, grinning, "But this is pretty much the height of my culinary skill. I mean, I'll learn to cook more stuff when I'm out of the house for good, but this is as good as it's getting for a while." Chloe just smiled at her.

"I can live with that," she said quietly, her gaze meeting Max's eyes. They sat there in silence for a moment, just looking at one another over the candles.

"I'm going to clean up the dishes," Max announced after a little while, breaking the spell, "It shouldn't take long." She stood, picking up her plate and walking around to Chloe's side to take hers as well.

"Max, I can do that," Chloe replied, standing herself and taking the plates out of Max's hands, "You cooked, least I can do is clean up." Max tried to object, but Chloe cut her off, turning and walking the plates to the kitchen without another word. Shrugging, Max blew out the candles and followed.

When she joined Chloe in the kitchen, the blue haired girl had already rinsed off the plates and silverware and set them in the dishwasher. As she started to wash one of the pans, Max walked up behind her and wrapped her arms around the taller girl's waist, pressing herself close. Chloe continued washing in silence, but hummed as she did, and Max could feel it vibrating through her. Could every night go like this? As she considered a future with Chloe, it actually seemed possible. Would it always be this blissful? Or would they eventually start taking each other for granted. She didn't want to think about that. Instead, she focused on the warmth radiating out of Chloe, and the steady beat of her heart.

"Okay, all done!" Chloe announced after a few more minutes of cleaning. Max released her, and she turned around, leaning back against the counter, "So, I'll admit it: Romantic dinner date night was a success." Max felt her cheeks glow with a blush, and she smiled up at her Chloe.

" _Was_?" Max repeated, her smile taking on a sly look, "The night's not over yet, Chloe."

"I was hoping you'd say something like that," Chloe replied, grinning, "While you were picking out stuff at the grocery store, I, uh, bought a couple things, too." She glanced away sheepishly for a moment, before turning back to Max. "So, do you, um, want to take a bubble bath?"


	22. Bubble Bath

Chloe wasn't entirely sure what had made her think to buy a bottle of bubble bath stuff while they'd been out. Max had told Chloe to go and wander around the store elsewhere while she shopped, so that dinner would be a surprise. So, to kill time while Max picked out ingredients, Chloe had meandered around the bath and body section, looking for hair products. Her hair had been growing out, like hair does, and she would need more blue dye if she wanted to keep it looking good. That had taken her right by a small section of bubble baths, and, on a whim, she'd bought a bottle.

Sitting in the warm bath with Max leaning back against her chest, Chloe was glad she had. The brunette sat between Chloe's legs, and rested her head back against the taller girl's shoulder, eyes closed and humming. Gently, Chloe stroked Max's hair and pressed light kisses to the side of her face. Based on the broad smile on Max's face, she figured she'd made a good choice on this whole bubble bath thing.

"You're so comfy," Max murmured, nuzzling into the crook of Chloe's neck. Warm, tender moments like this were still kind of alien to Chloe, but she turned and pressed her lips against Max's forehead, hoping that that was a good response. She was glad Max felt comfortable, at least, and she had to admit that having the brunette's petite form nestled up against her, sitting between her legs and wrapped up in her arms, was pretty nice.

"Comfiness is something that I aspire to, yes," Chloe replied, smiling and giving Max a gentle squeeze, "This bony bod is full of surprises."

" _You're_ full of surprises," Max corrected, half opening her eyes and grinning, "I gotta say, a bubble bath was a big surprise, coming from you. A great surprise, but still!" Chloe shrugged, lightly so as not to jar Max too much.

"Eh, it was just an idea I had," she remarked, trying to seem nonchalant, "Glad you like it, though."

"I love it," Max breathed, sitting up and shifting around until she was facing Chloe, "You really know how to spoil a girl." Leaning in, Max pressed her lips softly against Chloe's, both of them closing their eyes and sinking happily into the kiss. When they broke from each other after a moment, Max immediately curled again against Chloe's chest, sliding most of the way under the water so that her chin was grazed by foam. Acting on what had become instinct, Chloe held her close.

"I always feel safer when I can hear your heartbeat," Max said quietly, cheek pressed against Chloe's sternum. Hearing those words made Chloe feel as if she was glowing. Max was… Well, Max was everything to her, at this point. Her best friend, her lover, her host. Hell, if Chloe had a god, it was probably Max, too. But as much as she loved Max, that just made her feel all the worse when she couldn't protect her back in October, or when even now she could barely even cook her a pancake. But, despite being the one who was always just tagging along and taking up space, Chloe somehow made Max feel safe? However that worked, she was happy for it.

"Well, I plan to keep it running for a while yet," she assured, gently stroking Max's shoulder with her thumb.

"Promise?" Max asked, sliding her arms around Chloe's waist and clinging to the taller girl. Chloe nodded, even though Max couldn't see it.

"Promise."

They stayed in the tub for a little while longer, alternating between cuddling and playfully creating bubble sculptures on one another. Eventually, though, the water cooled, and they reluctantly stepped out of the tub, hurriedly grabbing for towels. Chloe always felt pretty cold coming out of the shower or a bath, even in the otherwise warm confines of the Caulfield house. She hastily dried herself off, glancing over to see Max doing the same.

"So, what's the verdict?" Chloe asked as she wrapped her towel around herself, "Good date night?"

" _Great_ date night," Max replied, smiling at Chloe in that way that made her heart skip a damn beat, "You know how to show a girl a good time." Chloe snickered a little at the way Max finished the statement. She sounded like some kind of vaudeville character or something.

"Who says I'm done?" Chloe followed up, stepping closer to the brunette, "Night's not over yet." Max smiled and let Chloe pull her close and into a kiss.

"Chloe, a night with you is always nice at this point," Max murmured when their lips finally parted, "But the lead up was especially good tonight." Chloe raised her eyebrows and grinned mischievously.

"'Always nice' sounds a little like things are getting routine," she remarked. But God, what a good routine to have! Most people would kill to be sleeping with someone they loved this much every night! "So I guess I'd better make a date night like this one even better, to make it stand out." Max blushed but grinned, kissing Chloe again and then pulling away to head for the door to her room.

"I don't know how you can make things any better than they already are," she noted, smirking over her shoulder, "But you're welcome to try…" Dropping her towel to the floor, Max slowly walked to her bed, in what Chloe was almost certain was meant to be a teasing, alluring way. Mostly she just kind of looked like a dork. But a cute dork. Chloe's cute dork.

"You're on," Chloe replied, grinning from ear to ear.


	23. Sweetness

Downstairs, Max could hear the front door open, and her parents come in. Glancing at her alarm clock, she saw that it was pretty close to midnight. After the initial noise of the door opening then shutting, her parents quieted down, but she could still hear them creaking up the stairs and down the hallway to their bedroom.

Smiling contentedly, she rolled back over to snuggle up beside Chloe. They were both sweaty and hot, and so had kicked off the covers for a little while. Even hot and sweaty, though, Max wanted to snuggle with Chloe. When she was still in afterglow like this, it was practically a necessity. She loved hearing Chloe's heartbeat slow to a steady rhythm, and to try and sync their breathing as they lay together.

"Not bad timing," Chloe remarked, still a little breathless. Max's face heated up a little, but she did have to concede that Chloe had a point. After that awkward first morning home, the two of them had managed to keep it down at night. Of course, she'd thought they'd been quiet enough that first night, too. Regardless, her parents hadn't brought it up again, which was a huge relief. But with this special date night and everything, Chloe had been true to her word and gone above and beyond, and Max had tried to make it just as special in return. As such, they'd been undeniably noisier than usual, and so it was good that Mom and Dad had stayed out as late as they did.

Not that they were "done," per se. Making love with Chloe wasn't always linear. Maybe it wasn't linear with anyone, Max thought, but Chloe was her only point of reference. Things would get hot and heavy, and they would go until they were satisfied, then cuddle and talk quietly. Sometimes that was that, but just as often their talk would get sweeter and sweeter until they began making out again, then hands would wander, and next thing she knew they were making love some more! Max didn't know if any of that was normal or not, but it didn't really matter. It was how she and Chloe were, and she was happy with it.

"Yeah," Max replied, finding her comfy spot in the crook of Chloe's arm, "A few minutes earlier and things might have gotten awkward…" Chloe snickered and ran a hand through her hair.

"Eh, we probably wouldn't have even noticed," the taller girl teased, "I don't know about you, but I'm not usually listening for the door when we're going at it."

"You're my whole world in that moment," Max murmured in reply, trying to be a little poetic even as she agreed with the general sentiment. Softly, Chloe leaned down to give her a gentle kiss on the top of the head, and Max rewarded the gesture with a coo of affection and a nuzzle.

"I love you so much," Chloe declared, squeezing Max gently against her, "You're so sweet to me."

"I'm happy to be sweet for you, Chloe," Max whispered, "But I'm sorry that someone being sweet to you is so remarkable." Chloe shrugged a little.

"Keeping people at a distance is something I've gotten good at," the taller girl admitted, "And when you do that, people aren't usually super sweet. Hell, I kind of tried to push you away, but it just didn't take." Max thought back to when they'd been reunited a month or so before. Chloe had been sort of welcoming, but also pretty distant. Plus, she had kept lashing out. If Max hadn't already known her, and already had such a deep connection to her, she probably wouldn't have stuck it out. That was an uncomfortable thought.

"I'm glad it didn't work on you, though," Chloe added. Max shifted and crawled up to come face to face with the blue haired girl, resting their foreheads together and looking into her eyes.

"Chloe, you deserve all the sweetness I can muster," Max stated, "More than anyone else I've ever known, you deserve to be loved and cherished." Chloe just stared into her eyes for a moment, left apparently speechless.

"God, Max," Chloe breathed at last, "The way you talk about me, you'd think I'm some kind of special." Max couldn't quite tell whether Chloe was genuinely shocked, or fishing for compliments. Or maybe a little of both. But she would have admitted the same thing even if she'd been asked point blank, so it didn't really matter. After all that had happened to Chloe, all the loss, all the betrayal, all the pain, Max couldn't think of a single person more due for affection, and she was more than happy to give it.

"I think you're special," Max told her, smiling and cupping her cheek, "And that's good enough for me." Softly, she touched her lips to Chloe's, letting herself sink into the blue haired girl's arms as she lost herself in the kiss. Hands began to wander again, and soon so did their lips. Before she knew it, Max was on her back, and she sighed happily as things took their course, that sighing giving way to panting, which gave way to gasping, which gave way to her biting down on a finger to keep from crying out. At length, she settled back down to panting as Chloe rested her head on Max's chest and lightly placed a hand on her shoulder.

"You make me so happy," Chloe explained quietly, "I just, well, I just want to make you that happy, too. And I felt like orgasms are a safe bet for that." Max snorted at the mixture of sweet and crass in Chloe's words.

"You make me happy just by being you," Max assured Chloe, lazily wrapping an arm around her, "But yeah, orgasms are nice…"


	24. Coat Shopping

It had been wavering between warm, mild, and chilly for a month, but the weather had finally made up its mind, and it had chosen cold. There was no snow yet, but being outside without a coat was no longer really an option. When she'd been packing back in Arcadia Bay, Chloe hadn't really thought about winter, and so she had only her usual jacket, which probably wasn't going to stand up to much beyond the middle of November.

Which brought her to the thrift store, to find something that would work for December. Arcadia Bay had had a Salvation Army store, and that had been, in Chloe's mind, The Thrift Store. But Seattle apparently had several thrift stores, according to Max, and so they had gone to Max's favorite one to try and find a coat.

Normally, Chloe wouldn't have given much of a crap what kind of coat she got. Not giving a crap was kind of her image, and, ironically, she tried to maintain it. But a little voice in the back of her mind wondered what Max would think about the various options. Would this one make her look good for Max? Would that one clash too much with her blue hair? Was this one too puffy to actually feel Max's arms around her when they hugged? Being in a relationship added a lot of variables to things, she was finding.

"How about this one?" Max suggested, pulling a navy blue wool coat off a hanger and holding it up, "It's just six dollars!" Figuring it was worth a try, Chloe took the coat and pulled it on, rolling her shoulders and stretching to test the fit. It was a little loose, but she could live with that. It fit well enough, and Max had seemed to like it, and that was good enough for her.

"Okay, this'll work," she stated, unbuttoning the coat and shrugging it off before turning back to Max, "Let's go find the checkout." But Max had vanished, it seemed. Glancing around, Chloe slowly walked to the end of the aisle, peering out to see if Max had just gone ahead of her.

As she stood there confused, though, something tapped Chloe on the shoulder, and she spun around. No one was behind her, but some of the clothes hanging from the rack swayed gently. Chloe's eyes narrowed, but she grinned, scanning the floor beneath the coats for Max's skinny little legs. Sure enough, she sighted a pair of skinny jeans peeking out from the bottom of a curtain of coats.

With as much stealth as she could muster, Chloe crept up to the part of the rack Max was hiding behind, then shot her hands in, grabbing hold of the smaller girl and giving a triumphant "A-hah!" To her surprise, though, Max grabbed her arms right back, and pulled Chloe in between the rows of coats with her. Soft lips found Chloe's as she hunched over in the clothing rack, and she lightly ran a hand along Max's cheek and neck.

"Surprise!" Max whispered, smiling when the kiss ended at last.

"Someone's playful," Chloe remarked, eyes twinkling. Hiding in a bunch of coats made her feel like she and Max were kids again. Except for the kissing. That hadn't ever actually happened when they were young, she'd only thought about it…

"You didn't seem super into coat shopping," Max noted, shuffling awkwardly, but maintaining her grin, "I thought I'd liven the trip up a bit for you."

"Well," Chloe said, taking Max's hand and leading her back out into the aisle, "I appreciate the effort." Max cuddled close as they made their way to the checkout, and Chloe paid for the coat. In cash, from Wells's envelope. The thing was still over half-full, but she figured she'd have to get a real source of income eventually.

"Anything else you want to get while we're out?" Max asked, her arm around Chloe's waist as they walked. Chloe shrugged.

"Eh, this is all I really needed," she replied, settling an arm around Max's shoulder, "A coat to get me through the end of the year. Once we're back in Arcadia Bay, I can just wear my normal one.

"'Once we're back,'" Max repeated wistfully, "It feels strange to think about going back to Blackwell, like nothing even happened."

"Yeah, I can see that," Chloe conceded, "It'll be weird not spending every night with you." Max's grip around Chloe's waist tightened at that statement.

"I don't want to think about having to sleep without you," the brunette mumbled, "When you get out of bed, I get restless." She didn't elaborate, but Chloe guessed what she meant. Apparently, Chloe didn't really survive past early October in most of the timelines Max had visited, and the poor girl had seen several of those deaths. Based on the way that Max held onto her, and the way she would frantically pat the covers and call out if she woke up while Chloe was in the bathroom, it was apparent that Chloe's death was a constant fear in the back of her mind. Plus, there was all that Dark Room shit, which probably didn't help her any, either.

"You can sleep over at my place anytime," Chloe offered, "I mean, I hope. Not sure if my mom will be as groovy about this as your parents are. But she does think that you're a good influence on me, so hell, maybe she'll be pumped." Max laughed a little, and Chloe was glad to have turned things in a lighter direction.

"I'd be happy to have you over at my dorm room," Max replied, "No rules against that. Boys, yes. But the Blackwell authorities failed to consider lesbianism when setting out their puritanical precepts." Chloe snickered.

"Ironic, really," she remarked, "And hey, we probably wouldn't have to keep it down so much in a dorm as at our houses."

"True," Max agreed, "Although poor Kate would probably be scandalized when she figured out what was causing the racket."

"Psh, not sure what issue she'd have with any of it," Chloe replied, smirking, "I'm diligently protecting your virtue. Ain't no pre-marital sex with boys going to happen for you on my watch." Max groaned and laughed, swatting Chloe playfully.

"Sure," she said, " _That's_ what you're doing."

"Hey, it's working," Chloe contested as they approached their parking spot, "In the last month, while I've been spending every night with you, you have not had pre-marital sex with any boys. I am a goddamn saint or some shit."

"Fair enough," Max laughed as they climbed into the truck, "Kate will be so happy to learn that I'm committed to living a life of virtue like that. Forever unsullied by the touch of a man."

"Forever?" Chloe asked, grinning from ear to ear.

"Yeah, do you think you can handle that?" Max replied, returning the grin.

"Sure," Chloe answered, winking, "That's one responsibility I'm willing to accept."


	25. Breakfast in Bed

Waking up, Max felt around beside her for Chloe. It was weird enough not to wake up in her arms, but the taller girl wasn't even in bed at all. Leaning over, Max checked the bathroom door and found it opened onto an unlit room. No Chloe in there. It was stupid, she knew, but Max began to panic. Had she changed something and forgotten it? Was Chloe in danger someplace, without Max there to save her?

Max grabbed for her phone to call Chloe, but before she could pull up the dialer the blue haired girl stepped into the room, carrying a tray with a plate of pancakes, some toast, and three strips of bacon, as well as a glass of orange juice and some syrup. Studying Max, Chloe approached with the tray, setting it down on the brunette's blanket covered lap.

"God, Max, you look kind of frantic," Chloe remarked, pulling over the desk chair and sitting down next to the bed. Max blushed a little, flustered at how worried she'd been just from not seeing Chloe immediately upon waking up. She could probably stand to be less clingy, but it was hard not to fret when Chloe had such a penchant for getting in harm's way.

"Sorry," she mumbled, "I just, uh, didn't know where you were, and that startled me. That's all."

"I was making you breakfast in bed, dork," Chloe replied, her words juxtaposing against her gentle tone as she gently rubbed a hand on Max's back, "Now come on, eat up! The bacon is Oscar-Meyer microwave stuff, and the toast is just toast, but I _did_ make the pancakes from scratch, and I swear these ones are legit!" Max smiled and drizzled syrup over the little stack of pancakes, and then took a bite. To her delight, they were indeed an improvement on Chloe's previous attempts. Much fluffier, and certainly tastier. Chloe wasn't exactly going to be putting the Two Whales out of business anytime soon, but homemade pancakes made with love were a nice treat regardless.

"These are really good!" Max declared once she'd swallowed, smiling at Chloe, who had been watching her intently. A relieved look crossed the blue haired girl's face, and she relaxed in the chair.

"Heh, I knew I'd get it right eventually!" Chloe remarked, smirking, "But yeah, I'm glad. I just, uh, wanted to do something special for you." It was cute to see Chloe trying to be sweet. Really, she was a caring and tender person when she wanted to be, but the traditional "cutesy" things of a relationship still seemed new to her. Max was all too happy to be the guinea pig for Chloe's sweetness experiments, though.

"What's the occasion?" Max asked cheerfully, taking another bite of sweet, fluffy goodness. She hadn't really been expecting an actual answer, but Chloe blushed and fidgeted a little, glancing away. In response, Max raised her eyebrows, curious as to what she would say.

"It's been, um, a month," Chloe explained sheepishly, still looking away, "Since we, uh, _did_ it for the, um, first time." Max blushed but smiled. She hadn't been keeping track, but that timing made sense. A month before would have been a few days after leaving Arcadia Bay, which was when she and Chloe had made the leap from "just friends who've kissed a few times and like to sleep in each other's arms, but no, really, it's just been a hard week" to "sleeping together." A week or so later had been when they'd made the decision to say they were "dating," but apparently Chloe was measuring from the first time they'd made love. Or maybe, Max thought, she was going to wake up to more breakfast in bed in a week.

"Makes sense. Breakfast in bed is the traditional 'we've been having sex for a month' observance celebration," Max joked, setting down her silverware and reaching for Chloe's hand, "But really, thank you. This is really sweet." Chloe smiled at her, with the genuinely happy, touched smile that shone through when she forgot to act aloof.

Cheerily, Max ate the stack of pancakes, and then the toast, washing it all down with the orange juice Chloe had brought. Turning then to the bacon, she eagerly ate the first two strips, making sure to smile appreciatively over at Chloe as she did. For the last strip, though, Max had an idea.

"Want to share this one?" she asked, picking the strip of bacon up off the plate and then setting the tray aside. Chloe had been good about sitting patiently while Max ate, but the offer of food made her grin and nod enthusiastically. With a sly look, Max took the strip between her teeth and leaned over towards Chloe.

Raising her eyebrows, Chloe leaned in and gingerly began to nibble on the bacon, making her way down the strip and towards the brunette. Just as Max had planned. It was goofy and silly, but Max still thought it was cute. After a moment, there was almost no bacon left between them, and Max made the final effort to lean forward ever so slightly and touch her lips to Chloe's, while also swallowing the last bit of crispy goodness.

"Smooth, Caulfield," Chloe remarked when she sat back, grinning. As if she hadn't seen exactly where that was going.

"What can I say?" Max replied, "I'm just such a cunning vixen."

"I'll say," Chloe agreed, lifting the tray off of the bed and setting it on Max's desk, "No wonder you've been able to lure me into your bed every night." Max snickered as Chloe sat down on the bed beside her.

"Oh, definitely," she said, "That was all me. You're powerless against me, and totally don't move things along on your own." Chloe gently grasped Max's shoulders and moved closer, bringing her face right in front of Max's.

"I mean, how would I even do that?" Chloe wondered aloud, stealing quick, gentle little kisses between words, "I don't have the slightest clue how to press your buttons." Max giggled into the kiss and let her hand rest on the back of Chloe's neck, holding her close.

"You're a goofball," Max whispered as she lay back onto the bed, pulling Chloe with her.

"You love it," the blue haired girl replied, letting her kisses wander along Max's face and down her neck.

"Yeah," Max agreed, smiling contentedly, "I do."


	26. Nightmares

**A/N: This whole story is, of course, one long spoilerfest for the game (taking place after it ends, and all), but this chapter even more so than usual. So, just keep that in mind.**

Max muttered and fidgeted in her sleep. Chloe didn't know if she remembered any of the dreams she had in the morning. If she did, she didn't mention them. But the memories from that week in October had clearly stayed with her. Whatever was bothering her, Chloe's instinct was just to hold her until it passed, and not bring it up later. If Max ever wanted to talk about it, she'd listen, but she totally understood wanting to just try and forget stuff.

But there she was, trying to hold the smaller girl as she whimpered and squirmed. Chloe _wanted_ to do more to help Max, of course. It wasn't like she enjoyed watching her suffer. But the last thing she wanted was to accidentally make things somehow worse.

"Shhh, it's okay," Chloe murmured, running a hand lightly through Max's hair, "Everything's fine, everything's fine." She wasn't sure if it was because of her voice of her touch, but something she'd done made Max calm down a little. Not wanting to let Max slip back into nightmares, Chloe continued. It turned out to be a bit much, though, because Max started to stir awake after a little while.

"Chloe?" the brunette mumbled, "Wha' are you doing?" Chloe felt embarrassed that she'd woken Max up. She wasn't stuck in a nightmare anymore, at least.

"Sorry," the blue haired girl muttered, "You were, uh, having a bad dream or something, and I was trying to calm you down…"

"Thanks," Max replied, folding her arms on Chloe's chest and resting her chin on them, and smiling sleepily, "It was a, uh, pretty dark dream."

"Do you wanna talk about it?" Chloe asked, "I mean, we don't have to if you don't wanna. But if it will help, it's been like over a month. I'm here if you need." Max sighed and sat up, looking down nervously at Chloe.

"I mean, I guess it might," she conceded, "Do you remember how I kind of, um, blacked out on our way up to the lighthouse?" Mainly, Chloe remembered practically dragging Max across the beach and up the hill.

"Yeah," Chloe replied, nodding, "You sort of passed out, almost. Didn't come to until we were most of the way there. Is that- Is that what you were dreaming about?" Chloe sat up as well, studying Max's face to gauge her thoughts.

"Kind of," Max explained, pulling her knees up to her chest, "When that happened, I was- well, I'm not sure where I went. It was like a nightmare or something, but it felt real, but also totally surreal." She shivered a little and paused, taking a deep breath. Gingerly, Chloe reached out to take her hand, squeezing it gently.

"People chased me through mazes, shouting just awful stuff at me," Max continued, squeezing Chloe's hand in return, "And then I was in, like, some hell-dimension version of the Two Whales, where everyone I'd talked to all week were standing around heckling me. And some weird, _other_ me sat there insulting me, telling me I was awful and stupid."

"Well, that's just bullshit!" Chloe interjected, scowling, "You're hella smart, _and_ you're great." Max smiled at her.

"Funny," the brunette remarked, "In that limbo, there was a version of you that came along and defended me from, well, me." Chloe grinned.

"I'll always stand with you," she said, squeezing Max's hand again, "Even in weird mental hellscapes and shit!" Max laughed a little, looking down.

"The rest of that dream, well, it was all about you," Max went on, catching Chloe a little by surprise. She hadn't been expecting that.

"Like, before the mazes, I was back in Jefferson's Dark Room," Max explained, "And you were there, posing for him. Then making out with Warren. Then Nathan. Then Victoria." Chloe crinkled her nose in disgust. Warren didn't do much for her, and Victoria was pretty attractive, if also pretty bitchy, but the thought of ever getting it on with Nathan made her almost sick to her stomach. Well, getting it on _again._ She wasn't sure what all he'd done after drugging her, and she tried not to think about it.

"Well, that's, um, less heroic of me," Chloe remarked, looking away, "Or my transdimensional doppelganger. Or whatever."

"Chloe, it wasn't actually you," Max assured her, voice nevertheless trembling a little, "Just, like, my fears _about_ you, I think. That I'm not good enough for you or something." That would have been laughable in another context, Chloe thought. The very idea that it was _Max_ who wasn't good enough for _her_ seemed ludicrous.

"But, in another part, after the maze and the hell-diner, I saw a bunch of memories of you and me," Max continued, starting to smile again, "Like, us after you first saved me in the parking lot, and all the adventures we had that week. Swimming together, our first kiss, and even… stuff we did in the different timeline." Chloe raised her eyebrows, but stayed silent. Max didn't talk much about what all had happened in the reality where Dad hadn't died, but apparently the two of them had had some kinds of sweet moments together.

"So, that later part was less awful," Max finished, sighing, "But that whole thing really sticks with you, you know?" Obviously, Chloe _couldn't_ really know, but she was willing to nod and agree.

"Sure," she said, "Seems pretty heavy. But was that what you were dreaming about just now, too?" Max shook her head.

"No," the brunette replied, "Well, kind of. But not. I mean, what happened when I blacked out was related to my powers, I think. This dream tonight, and the other nightmares I've had for the past month, I know those are just dreams. They still suck, though. They change a little, but they're mostly like that blackout nightmare. Sometimes it's weird shit back in the Dark Room. Other times it's you dying, or dumping me, or dumping me then dying. I mean, I guess the point is that these are sucky nightmares to have." Chloe frowned. She couldn't exactly just wish away Max's nightmares or anything. But seeing Max hurting was just not a thing she could leave to work out on its own.

"Well, I can't really do much about most of that," Chloe admitted, "But I do promise I won't dump you. And I'll try really hard not to die." Max smiled and cuddled up close to her.

"Chloe, this is just stuff that's going to be processing for a while," Max murmured as Chloe held her close once more, lying back down and pulling the covers up, "But you trying to put my subconscious fears to rest is nice. I guess all I can really ask for is, if I do start acting like I'm in a bad dream, wake me up again, okay?" Chloe nodded.

"Wake you up from bad dreams," she repeated, "Got it." Max snuggled into the crook of her arm and rested her head on Chloe's chest. Max had mentioned before that her heartbeat was soothing to her, so Chloe hoped that that might help some, too.

"Besides," Max added, getting back up a little and climbing up to face Chloe, "Life with you is better than any dream I've ever had, anyway." Chloe blushed a little, but managed to break into a cheeky smile, leaning up to kiss Max lovingly.


	27. Bad Music, Sweet Cookies

It wasn't even Thanksgiving yet. Why was the radio already playing Christmas music around the clock? Even more than that, why was Chloe always the one playing it? On a conscious level, Max knew that anybody could like Christmas music, but it seemed kind of odd coming from someone as rebellious as Chloe.

But nevertheless, the blue haired girl could routinely be found dancing around the kitchen, singing along to "Have A Holly Jolly Christmas" and, more remarkable still, _baking cookies_. With sprinkles. They weren't as good as Joyce's yet, but it was becoming apparent that Chloe had inherited her mother's knack for cooking. With a lot of time on her hands and no yokels to posture for, Chloe was softening up a lot in Seattle. There were times when she was downright domestic.

The cookies improved with each batch, enough that they were starting to make up for the nonstop Christmas music. But still, Max wished she would change the station. Really, how many times could one person listen to "Santa Baby?" God had rested the merry gentlemen so much they must be in a coma. It was _not_ "Christmas after all," but Band Aid were adamant that it was. The Beatles may have been "simply having a wonderful Christmastime," but it sure felt pretty premature. And Max had been coming up with those lame Christmas song jokes, and a bunch of others, when she was supposed to be working on classwork for Blackwell!

"Oh, hey, Max!" Chloe greeted cheerfully when Max walked into the kitchen to ask her to listen to something else, "You're just in time! You can help me put icing on these sugar cookies!" Max really did want to tell Chloe to switch to a rock station or something but she just looked so damn sweet, bouncing around the kitchen in an apron and a smile. However irritating _another_ rendition of "Christmas Shoes For Mama" would be, she couldn't deny Chloe anything when she was like this. Remembering the dying Chloe she'd met in the other timeline, and even just how bitter Chloe had been only a month and a half before, Max was willing to humor her sweetheart. Plus, cookies!

"God, Chloe, just a few weeks ago you were taking your first baby steps into making pancakes," Max remarked, sitting down at the bar counter where Chloe had set the unadorned cookie, "And now you're baking like crazy!"

"Gotta keep busy somehow," Chloe replied, opening up the little tub of frosting and handing Max a butter knife to spread it over the cookies, "Figured I might as well get good at _something._ " She began to apply a layer of icing to one of the cookies, spreading it more or less evenly before setting that cookie down and moving on to the next.

"Well, I'm glad you picked such a tasty hobby," Max said, smiling as she began work on the first cookie on her side, "You're getting better and better with each batch!" Being alone together in the house all day, Chloe had had only Max and herself to test her cookies on. With winter coming on, a little bit of cookie fat could probably do both of them some good, anyway.

"Thanks," Chloe muttered as she worked, smiling still as her cheeks turned a little pink, "I know the first few tries weren't too great, but thanks for sticking with me on this."

"Oh, sure," Max answered, her voice a little teasing, "It's a sacrifice, but I'm willing to eat as many cookies as it takes to help you." Chloe laughed and continued icing the cookies.

"Well, that's generous of you," Chloe teased back, moving on to the next row, "Glad you've got my back." As they finished icing the batch of cookies, Chloe set out a few little jars of sprinkles. Some were just circles, while others were little Christmas trees, snowflakes, and reindeer.

"But baking and cooking and shit is actually kinda fun," Chloe went on, starting to add the sprinkles, "Following recipes is kind of like chemistry. And I don't see myself being in a lab anytime soon, so this will just have to do." Max frowned a little. She wasn't entirely clear on the specifics of Chloe's expulsion, but she did remember that Chloe had always had a knack for hard sciences. Maybe she'd be able to make up for lost time once she got a GED and even go through college, Max thought. Hopefully, close, so they didn't have to be apart.

"Well, you can't eat anything in a lab," Max pointed out, picking up one of the finished cookies and admiring it, "So I guess that's one thing that cooking has over chemistry!" She tried to sound cheery as she spoke.

"That's true," Chloe agreed, smiling a little and picking up one of the cookies as well, "So, are you ready to try my latest concoction?" Max nodded, and they both bit into their respective cookies. This batch had turned out particularly well, as far as Chloe's cookies went. Max had put a bit more icing on this one than she really should have, though, and some of that icing managed to stay on her upper lip after she'd finished the cookie. Raising an eyebrow, Chloe grinned impishly and walked around the kitchen island towards Max.

"You've got something on your face," she teased, stepping closer and taking Max's face in her hands, "Here, let me get that for you…" Leaning in, she softly kissed away the frosting from Max's lips and then kissed the brunette in earnest. Max had seen it coming from a mile away, of course, but it wasn't like she was going to do anything that would _stop_ Chloe from kissing her. Instead, she wrapped her arms around the taller girl's waist and stood up, trying to get as close as she could as they kissed.

"So, um, what'd you think of the cookie?" Chloe asked breathlessly between kisses. Max rolled her eyes but continued to eagerly kiss Chloe.

"It was good," she whispered, gently grabbing onto Chloe's shoulders, "Sweet, but not _too_ sweet." She backed Chloe up against the kitchen island, and tugged the blue haired girl's hands down to her hips. "A little salty at times." Max draped her arms around Chloe's neck and pressed her body closer. "I really liked its shape and texture…" Chloe broke the kiss and rested her forehead against Max's, lightly rubbing their noses together.

"Are we still talking about the cookies?" she asked cheekily, grinning as she held Max close.

"And a little dense at times," Max finished, sighing and smiling back before kissing Chloe once more.

"So, uh, want to let these kind of cool or something for a while?" Chloe asked quietly, her lips still a few inches from Max's. The shorter girl immediately pulled back and took her hand, leading Chloe out of the kitchen in a rush. There had been cookies, and makeouts, and damned if Max was going to let the moment be ruined by "Dominic the Christmas Donkey" coming on all of the sudden.


	28. Official

Chloe was full. Chloe was so full. The Caulfields' Thanksgiving hadn't been with extended family. Mainly, it had just been local friends, gathered in the big dining room. Max's parents had introduced her as their daughter's "friend," which had bugged her a little, but Max had squeezed her hand under the table, giving her a meaningful look she took to mean she should just go with it. Chloe hadn't gotten around to asking whether she'd objected and things had gone south one timeline over or something, but Max hadn't brought it up later.

Other than that, though, the evening had been pretty good. None of the conversation had gotten into "Great-Uncle Todd's Internet News Opinions" land, which had been nice. Mostly, everyone had talked about local stuff. Some sports, some shop talk between Ryan and a few of his friends. Several of the people Chloe guessed were long-standing family friends asked Max about her life and school. Probably wisely, she'd glossed over the whole Nathan Prescott/Mark Jefferson date rape and murder porn dungeon stuff. Most of the guests had been polite enough to make some small talk with Chloe, but she did have to concede that she didn't have much to say. Aside from her baking, there wasn't really much to say about her life lately. She hung out all day, and screwed and cuddled with Max at night, and that was about it.

But the food, though! So. Much. Food. And it was all so good, too. Chloe wasn't sure how much, exactly, she'd eaten, but it was enough that she just wanted to sleep for like a week. Still, she'd had enough strength of will to power through and help out with dishes and shit before she slumped onto the couch and closed her eyes.

After a few minutes, Max settled down next to her. Chloe wasn't watching, of course, but she knew it was Max. It wasn't like Vanessa or Ryan were likely to be cuddling up next to her or something, but she could tell even beyond process of elimination. The way her body fit next to Chloe's, the feel of her clothes and skin, even the way she smelled were all unique. If she had to describe all Max's signifiers, Chloe would probably be stumped, but on an innate level she recognized her Max.

"Hey there," Chloe mumbled in greeting as Max curled up next to her, "Have a good Thanksgiving?"

"Eh, pretty good, as far as Thanksgivings go," Max replied, nuzzling into the crook of Chloe's neck and resting a hand on her shoulder, "How about you?"

"I. Am. Stuffed," Chloe declared, patting her stomach for effect, "I didn't have to talk a lot, so I got to eat twice as much." Max laughed a little, but quickly settled back down. Chloe could feel the smaller girl's chest rise and fall against her side, and she idly reached up to stroke Max's hair a little.

"Sorry about that," Max muttered, "Mom and Dad's friends are mostly, well, _their_ friends, and even I'm just 'Ryan and Vanessa's daughter' to them, mostly."

"So one can only guess how they'd feel about 'Ryan and Vanessa's daughter's friend,'" Chloe finished. It had come out sounding a little more bitter than she'd intended it.

"Yyeeaaaahhh," Max mumbled, "I guess maybe I should have said something about that…" The thought of Max publically proclaiming her love at dinner at once mortified Chloe and made her glow. Would've been pretty dramatic, but so sweet. She couldn't hold Max's silence against her, though. To be fair, she wasn't sure what else she'd been expecting. Ryan and Vanessa had been real nice to her ever since she and Max had arrived, but "By the way, turns out our daughter's actually kind of queer!" probably wasn't high on their list of ideal conversation starters. Plus, setting aside the whole "dating a girl" thing, Chloe did have to admit she probably wasn't the ideal person to introduce as your daughter's girlfriend.

"It's fine," Chloe sighed, holding Max close, "Go along to get along, I guess." A lie of omission to some old randos wasn't really that big a deal, she supposed. They didn't _need_ anybody else to know, or anything, and Max had reassured her, _so many times_ , that she was serious about all this. It was just… she'd like it if _somebody_ else knew. She wasn't Max's secret, she knew. Max wasn't Rachel. Max wasn't Rachel. Max wasn't Rachel, Maxwasn'tRachel, Maxwasn'tRachelMaxwasn'tRachelMaxwasn'tRachel.

"Oh, Chloe," Max whispered, sitting up a little and bringing her hands to the taller girl's cheeks, tilting her face closer, "My Chloe." Chloe opened her eyes, finding herself staring into Max's. "This is bothering you, isn't it?" Well, crap.

"Kinda," Chloe admitted, pulling her face away and glancing down awkwardly, "I mean, it's fine. It doesn't matter." Frowning at Chloe for a moment, Max took out her phone and tapped a few things. A moment later, Chloe's phone buzzed, and her heart leapt. What had Max just done?

"Max Caulfield has sent you a relationship request," Chloe's Facebook app reported, "Confirm?" She glanced over at Max, who smiled at her hopefully. Without another moment's hesitation, Chloe hit "Confirm" and tossed her phone aside, pulling Max close into a tight embrace.

"Thank you," Chloe breathed, burying her face in Max's hair, "I'm, um, sorry I'm such a mess about this stuff." Max gently shook her head and returned the embrace.

"I told you you aren't my secret," Max murmured in reply, "About time I actually followed through on that." Chloe smiled, and continued to hold Max close, nuzzling her with enthusiasm.

"You are totally getting pancakes in bed in a month," Chloe stated, finally releasing Max to settle back down into a more comfortable snuggle position.

"I'll look forward to it," Max replied quietly, settling in beside Chloe, "So, now how was your Thanksgiving?"

"Best one ever," Chloe stated, "And not over yet." She grinned down at Max, and leaned in for a soft kiss.

"Oh, definitely," Max said when their lips parted, "As soon as we can actually move, I'm blowing your mind."

"Nap first, though?" Chloe asked.

"Nap first," Max agreed.


	29. Awkward Phone Call

"Max Caulfield is in a relationship with Chloe Price."

"Chloe Price, Warren Graham, and 37 others like this."

Max's phone had been buzzing all morning. And probably a good portion of the night, too, but Max and Chloe had been focused on other things at the time. But by the morning their overwhelming romantic feelings had settled down to their usual baseline, which was pretty high enough on its own, anyway, and they'd slept off dinner. Time to face the press, Max supposed.

Mostly, people were positive. There were a lot of "yay," "congrats," and "awwww" comments on the post, mainly from Max's Seattle friends, but a few from Blackwell kids, too. Kate had sent a few mixed signals, commenting on the thread that Chloe was "a cutie," but privately messaging Max to say she was praying for her. Warren, well, he'd been one of the first to like and comment, posting "How could any boy compete with a girl like that?! :D" Max was glad he was taking it well. He'd never been explicit about it or anything, but Max (and Kate, and Chloe, and Brooke, and pretty much everyone else) had known he was into her.

It hadn't been totally positive, of course. Victoria had commented "Slumming it, Max?" and a few cousins had asked whether it was one of those "joke relationships." Some of those cousins, and a few older relatives, had sent inquiring messages. "So, are you GAY now?" "Is this a phase?" "She may seem exciting now, but you'll feel different when you meet the right boy." Most of the worst comments and messages were pretty standard old people being out of touch stuff, and even that hadn't been too bad. It was still like twelve hours since they'd gone official, though, and it was hard to get a solid gauge of people's reactions just from social media. Maybe things would get really awkward at Easter, or maybe when classes started up again she'd suddenly be The Lesbian, never mind that she wasn't entirely sure _what_ she was, besides head over heels for Chloe.

After everything that had happened, though, Max could live with some awkwardness at school and family reunions. She'd never been any kind of graceful social butterfly, anyway, so she was skeptical that people would find her somehow _more_ weird for dating Chloe. It wasn't like she'd ever denied liking girls, so any shock was on them. As for Chloe, well, it seemed unlikely that she was going to be losing any friends over all this, unless there were some kind of weird kids who were both stoner thrashers _and_ socially conservative.

Still, there was a certain finality to what she'd done, and she loved it. Whatever else happened, Max had told the world that she was dating Chloe, even if she'd spared them the lurid details. There was no going back, now. Whatever tiny part of her had clung to "normal," whatever that meant, was more or less banished. Naturally, she hoped that she and Chloe would last forever. But even if they didn't, for whatever reason, there would still be evidence floating around in cyberspace that Max Caulfield had, at one time, loved Chloe Price.

Setting her phone down, Max rolled over to snuggle up with Chloe again. The taller girl was still asleep, at least for the most part, but still closed her arms around Max as she cuddled up close. Pressing her cheek against Chloe's skin, Max smiled. One person couldn't possess another, she knew, but nevertheless she liked the thought that this was _her_ Chloe. That she was the only one allowed to touch Chloe the way she did, and that she was the only one Chloe was allowed to touch that way in return. At first, only Chloe had known how Max felt about her. Then Mom and Dad did. Now the world knew, and Max was glad.

After a while, Chloe eventually began to stir awake. Staying quiet and still, Max just clung to her, all too happy to stay cuddled up close to the damn goddess she was somehow sharing a bed with. Chloe was impulsive, foul-mouthed, angsty, and pretty unstable, but Max barely even registered any of that. To her, Chloe was beautiful, loving, vulnerable, and passionate. Forget Facebook, forget her family, Max wasn't sure whether she was willing to acknowledge any sort of reality outside of Chloe's embrace.

"Sleep good?" Max asked quietly when it seemed like Chloe was actually awake. True to her word, Max had tried her best to make the night before as wonderful as she could. It was stupid, but she wasn't quite comfortable yet asking Chloe what she wanted, so everything was still kind of guesswork, but the blue haired girl seemed to have enjoyed it. A lot.

"Like a goddamn rock," Chloe replied, voice little more than a quiet mumble as she slipped slowly out of sleep, "Turkey plus sex-coma equals some really solid sleep." Max smiled, pleased that she had managed to wear out her Chloe. For her part, Max had never faked an orgasm, but she assumed it couldn't entail as much energy as a real one, so she took it to mean that the enjoyment Chloe had expressed had been genuine.

"Glad you got some good rest," Max murmured, nuzzling into the crook of Chloe's neck. God, she wished she could stay there forever, warm and safe and so cozy. Chloe's chest rose and fell in a slow, steady rhythm still, a remnant from sleep. Even after a month and a half, she still never tired of that tempo.

"So, has your phone been blowing up, too?" Chloe asked, picking up her own phone and opening Facebook, "God, fuck Victoria. 'Slumming it' my ass." Max chuckled and reached for her phone again, to check her notifications again. A few more people had liked it, and there were another few comments, all supportive.

"Does Joyce know?" Max wondered aloud, "I mean, at this point, she may be like the only person who _doesn't._ " Chloe bit her lip and looked away.

"Oh my God, she doesn't know, does she?!" Max realized. In fairness, Chloe had never claimed otherwise. But still, Max was a little surprised. After all the times Chloe had gotten sullen over what she'd construed as being hidden or a secret, Max had just kind of assumed that she'd told Joyce well before. Hell, for all Max had known, Chloe's queeritude had been public information that her mother was party to.

"I just, uh, never got around to it," Chloe mumbled, still looking away and shifting up into a sitting position, "Ever since Dad died, and especially after David showed up, me and Mom haven't had great communication skills about _anything_ , let alone who I'm banging." Max never liked it when Chloe used that word for what they did. For her part, she most preferred "lovemaking," although Chloe was always adamant about how dorky that sounded. But at least "sleeping with" or something like that would be better than "banging." "Banging" sounded like something two near strangers did after several beers at a warehouse party, Max thought, not what she and Chloe did in bed together.

"Well, do you have her on Facebook?" Max asked, "Because then she might be finding out soon, anyway." Chloe shook her head and scoffed.

"No, I do not fucking have my mom on Facebook," she snapped, "Seriously, who the hell does that?" Max the hell did that, but she decided it was best not to bring it up just then.

"She'll need to know eventually," Max retorted, "Come on, it won't be that bad. Joyce is really nice. Remember how well _my_ parents took it? And Joyce hasn't even had to, um, _hear_ us." Chloe sighed and opened up her text messenger.

"'Mom, me and Max are a couple now,'" she read out as she typed, "'Been like a month and change. I'm crazy for her, please just be happy I'm happy.' Aaaaaand, send!" Max raised her eyebrows.

"Wait, that's actually it?" she asked, laughing a little, "Three broken sentences over text?"

"Hey, I told you we're not great at communication," Chloe replied, setting her phone down and falling back down against the bed, "We're here for like another month, right? She'll have time to process this and shit." Max sighed and shook her head, but smiled at her Chloe despite herself.

"I mean, at least I probably don't have to ask her and David for your hand in marriage or something," Max remarked, settling her head back onto Chloe's shoulder.

"Oh, definitely not," Chloe agreed, "They can't decide whether I light up in the house, what's it matter what they think about who I marry?" They both laughed, until Chloe's phone began to buzz and ring.

"Holy crap!" The blue haired girl exclaimed, lifting the phone and taking a look at the screen, "It's Mom!" She tilted the phone towards Max, as if to prove it.

"You should probably answer," Max stated, a little amused that Chloe's attempt at dodging out of having a meaningful conversation with her mother was falling apart. Groaning, Chloe swiped to the little green circle with a white handset in it, bringing the phone to her ear.

"Yeah, hey, Mom," she greeted, "No, that was real. Yes, Mom, _that way._ Hoooooyeah, we are. Safe about _what_? Like she's gonna knock me up or something? Yeah, that's a thing that happens, _totally_. Chicks knock each other up all the fricken' time; your concerns are completely well founded. Yes, that _was_ sass. Hm? She's right here. You wanna talk to her? Well, are you gonna be nice? Damned if I'm putting her on if you're gonna be a bitch or something. Fine, fine, here she is." Chloe rolled her eyes and handed Max the phone. "She wants to talk to you." Sighing, Max took the phone. Maybe texting _had_ been the best option after all.

"Hello, Joyce!" Max said into the phone, "This is Max."

"Lord, Max!" Joyce sighed over the phone, "Chloe's not just pulling my leg, is she? Are you two dating now?" She didn't sound upset or distraught or anything, just a little frantic. And, in all honesty, that might have been from her exchange with Chloe just before. At the very least, she didn't sound hostile.

"Yes, um, that's right," Max replied, more than a little uncomfortable with the situation, "After we reconnected in October, and then went through the hurricane together and everything, feelings kind of arose and we decided to go ahead and follow them." Joyce sighed again, and was quiet for a moment.

"Well, as far as surprises from Chloe go, I suppose this isn't too bad," Joyce remarked, her voice calmer now, "It's a lot to process, all of a sudden. I hope you can understand that. But I can't say it's entirely a surprise. I've seen how she was with a few other 'friends' the past few years." Did she mean Rachel? Probably, and others, apparently. Max thought back to when Joyce had texted her after she and Chloe broke into Blackwell. Joyce was a lot cooler and more observant than Chloe gave her credit for. Then again, Max had been patting herself on the back about how sneaky they'd been that first night home before Mom and Dad let it slip they'd _heard them_.

"But if my daughter's dating a woman, I suppose you're my first pick," Joyce conceded, "Are you taking good care of my little girl?" Max nearly snorted. Of course, she knew what Joyce meant, but still. Oh, yeah, she was taking _good_ care of Chloe, alright.

"Trying my best, Joyce," Max replied, "But yeah, we're both good."

"I guess that's the most I can ask for," Joyce said, voice at once tired and relieved, "Thank you, Max. Could you pass me back to Chloe?" Max handed the phone back over to Chloe.

"Satisfied?" Chloe asked, a cheeky grin on her face, "I _know_ she's sweet, Mom. Why do you think I'm dating her? Well, that's good of you, but you couldn't really kabash this if you wanted, anyway. Okay. Yeah. I don't know, a little after New Year's? Sure, I'll keep you in the loop on that. Okay. Love you too, Mom. I'll tell her. Bye." She hung up the phone and dropped it onto the bed next to her, letting her arm fall as well.

"See, that wasn't too bad, was it?" Max remarked, smiling up at Chloe. The blue haired girl rolled her eyes but returned the smile.

"Eh, we'll all live, so sure," she conceded, stretching, "Mom says to tell you you're welcome on our pullout couch anytime. So Ryan and Vanessa are winning in the Cool Parents Fight here, but you're not banished and I'm not disowned, so go modernity, I guess!"

"So, want to go out for a celebratory 'Everyone Finally Knows Now' breakfast?" Max asked, sitting up and stretching.

"Sounds like a plan," Chloe replied, smiling up at her, "But can we maybe move it back to a brunch? I'm not sure I'm done with you, yet." Max raised her eyebrows and grinned, settling back down against Chloe and playfully running a hand through her hair.

"Oh?" She liked the way this morning was turning out. "What with your mother approving and everything, I was worried you'd get bored of me." Chloe scoffed.

"Not fricken' likely, Caulfield," she teased, hands starting to wander in that way Max loved, "You're stuck with me for life."

 **A/N: Perhaps a bit too neat, but I reiterate: I'm here to write cutesy romantic stuff, not family drama.**


	30. The First

Hot damn, Max was adorable. A few days after Thanksgiving, it had finally snowed, and the "pretty cold" of the previous weeks had developed into "literally freezing." Normally Chloe wasn't too big a fan of the cold, but seeing Max with rosy cheeks and a pink fuzzy scarf warmed her down to her toes.

Max had finished up her coursework a little ahead of schedule, which left them like a month to just hang out before the trip back down to Arcadia Bay. As it turned out, lying around the house for a month wasn't super exciting. Mostly. They found ways to liven it up some, but Chloe knew from experience that it was easy to run through the old "Do It in Every Room of the House" thing really quickly if you weren't careful. Besides, she'd been wanting to actually see some of the sights while she was in Seattle, and Max being finished with her work meant she finally had a tour guide.

Which is how she and Max had ended up walking around the Pike Place Market in the cold, and, by extension, how Max had ended up with glowing cheeks and nose. Overcome by how cute Max looked, Chloe leaned over as they stopped at the crosswalk and kissed her on the cheek. The pink from the cold was joined by pink from a blush as the light turned and they started across.

"Chloe, there's people everywhere!" Max pointed out, though her tone was fairly calm. Chloe shrugged and took her hand.

"So?" Chloe replied, flashing a grin over at her, "Max, we full on made out at that bar in Portland, and I'm pretty sure you were, like, half dry humping me. Suddenly a peck on the cheek is pushing it?"

"I mean, that was at night, at a rock concert, in Portland," Max explained, "This is broad daylight in a busy part of my home town." Chloe frowned a little. What Max said made sense, she'd admit. There was "rockers, hipsters, and riot-grrrls" public, then there was "school groups, professionals, and old people" public. But she'd really thought they were past this sort of thing. Max _was_ pretty shy sometimes, though, and she wasn't bothered with holding hands. It seemed less likely that this was a "nobody can know I kiss girls!" thing, and more just a matter of kissing _anyone_ in public like this feeling new to her.

"Your rosy little cheeks are just too cute to resist, though!" Chloe insisted. Max sighed and smiled, leading Chloe down the street.

"I guess we'll just have to step inside someplace and warm up, then," Max replied, moving them towards a green awning.

"Starbucks?" Chloe asked as they stepped in, "Seriously?" She followed along as Max led her to the back of the line.

"Not just _any_ Starbucks," Max remarked as they slowly moved up the line towards the counter, "This is the _original_ Starbucks."

"So, this is where the first white girl couldn't even?" Chloe snarked, looking around. Max snorted and lightly swung her arm back and forth, pulling Chloe's along with it. Eventually, they reached the counter, and made their orders. Max got some weird-ass special coffee, but Chloe just went with a normal, plain old cup of joe. She'd gotten pretty used to the cheap-ass coffee from the Two Whales, and she didn't have much interest in complicating it.

They waited for a moment for their coffee, then found their way to a corner. Max slipped out of her puffy coat and scarf, setting them down before sliding onto the bench. Chloe scooched in next to her, and casually draped an arm over her shoulders, holding her close. Apparently past whatever awkwardness she'd felt earlier, Max snuggled into her embrace.

"Thanks for showing me around town," Chloe remarked as they cuddled, "This is a neat town."

"Glad you like it," Max replied, sipping her peppermint latte or whatever, "I feel like Portland is a bit more your style, but I like sharing my city with you." _Sharing her city with her_. Even though they were just wandering around local tourist attractions, Max made it sound so intimate. It was true that Portland was more alternative, while Seattle was more techie, but Chloe was still having a pretty good time wandering around with Max. She had a good time doing pretty much anything with Max, though.

"Max?!" Someone called from elsewhere in the Starbucks, "Max Caulfield?!" The voice came from a smiling girl with dark brown hair standing at the far side of the shop, who hurried to the back. "You're back in town? I thought you were going to some boarding school in Oregon now! Are you on break? Or did you move back home?"

"Oh, it was crazy!" Max replied, sitting up a little but remaining nestled in close to Chloe, "There was a big hurricane that tore through the town, so classes were cancelled from, like, the middle of October on! I'll be going back in January, but yeah, I've been back in town for over a month."

"And, uh, who's this?" the girl asked, gesturing at Chloe. Chloe stayed quiet and waited for Max's response.

"Oh! This is Chloe," Max stated, "We grew up together in Arcadia Bay, and now, well, now we're dating." Chloe smiled, her heart glowing. "Chloe, this is Kristen. She's a friend I made in high school." Kristen reached out a hand to shake, which Chloe accepted.

"Oh, it's nice to meet you!" Kristen said, smiling and addressing Max again, "I saw you were dating someone. With how you're cuddling, I guess I should have known it was this lovely lady here." The two of them caught up a little, but Chloe mostly just kind of tuned out and focused on the warm, soft girl snuggled up next to her.

Chloe loved how Max just straight-up introduced her as her girlfriend. Well, maybe not "straight-up," then, but still. At this point, neither had anything to hide, she supposed, but things with Max kept getting better and better. Maybe it was childish to care so much about something like that. Punk girls weren't supposed to care about labels and shit, but she did anyway. It sucked to feel expendable, and she'd felt like that a lot over the last few years.

But Max really seemed to put her first, not just keeping her as some side thing. She'd said all that sweet stuff at their faux-wedding way back in October, just a few days after the tornado shit had gone down. Then she'd gone ahead and agreed to tell her parents about the two of them, then _went ahead and did it_. Max had even gone ahead and posted their relationship on Facebook, and now here she'd just totally told some high school friend she and Chloe were dating!

After a little while, they said their goodbyes, and Kristen left Max and Chloe in comfortable silence. Aside from Max's parents, that was the first time they'd actually acknowledged that they were together to someone either of them knew. Sure, they'd gone public online, but this had been face to face!

"Thank you," Chloe murmured, gently squeezing Max closer to herself.

"What for?" the brunette asked.

"Just, for making me feel cherished," Chloe explained, "I mean, I trust you and shit. But still, it was really nice you didn't chicken out and say we were just friends or some crap. It means a lot to me, is all." Max sat up a little, bringing her face close to Chloe's.

"I will never hide you, Chloe," Max whispered, "I am proud to be yours, and for you to be mine, and everyone else can just deal with that." She kissed the blue haired girl softly on the cheek, and then settled back into the crook of her arm.


	31. Just A Little Drunk

The glasses clinked a little as Max set them side by side on her desk, the ice cubes shifting as she let go. She kept glancing around, as if Mom and Dad were going to burst into her room shouting "Ah-ha!" and declaring the gala in Olympia had all been a big ruse. Not like they were probably going to notice the missing bottle of old Trader Joe's wine from the back of the fridge, but still.

"God, Max, ice cubes?" Chloe snarked from where she reclined on the bed, "Are you supposed to put ice cubes in wine?" Max rolled her eyes. In theory, wine was _not_ supposed to be served with ice. But they weren't at a fancy dinner party or anything.

"Not really," Max conceded, "But it'll keep it a little colder for a little longer. And maybe it'll help stop hangovers if it melts?" Max had never actually _been_ hungover, but she had heard that hydrating was supposed to help.

"Eh, whatevs," Chloe said, "Not like I'm super picky about my drank, anyway." Max unscrewed the bottle and poured until both glasses were about half-filled, including the ice. Trying to look as graceful as possible, she picked up the glasses and walked over to Chloe. They didn't get too many nights alone in the house, and so she wanted to make it feel as fancy and special as possible.

"So, what do we drink to?" Max asked, sitting down on the couch and handing Chloe her glass. Chloe pondered a little, swirling the wine in her glass.

"To cutesy shit," Chloe eventually decided, holding her glass forward and gesturing around the room, "To scented candles and soft pajamas and labels and wine." Max smiled and clinked her glass against Chloe's, bringing it to her lips. It was sweet and crisp, and the fifteen minutes she'd left it in the freezer before bringing it upstairs had been a good idea, she decided.

"You're such a softie," Max teased, "I love it." Chloe scooted over on the bed, leaning back against the wall, and Max carefully settled down beside her. Max had never been a big partier, but a cozy night in with her Chloe and a bit of wine had sounded like a nice time.

As she sipped the wine, she started to feel a little bubbly. Not drunk, exactly, just slightly giddy and cuddly. With a bit of wine in her belly, Chloe felt that little bit warmer and little bit softer. She wiggled cheerfully against Chloe, maybe because she was tipsy, maybe just because she thought she was.

"This doesn't suck," Chloe noted, a smile in her voice, "Better than gas station beer, definitely." She leaned over and kissed Max on the side of the forehead. They snuggled and sipped together, chitchatting and refilling their glasses as needed.

"You're so soft," Max remarked.

"Well, you're so cute," Chloe replied.

"You're so sweet."

"You're so warm."

"I like your hugs."

"I like your kisses."

"I like your face."

"I like your eyes."

"I like your lips."

"I like your boobs." Max snickered and sat up, setting her glass on the nighstand and rolling over to sit in front of Chloe. She leaned in.

"Well, I like _your_ boobs," she whispered, words ever so slightly slurring, "And your legs, and your _butt._ " Chloe laughed and set her glass on the windowsill before wrapping her arms around Max and pulling her in for a slightly clumsy kiss.

"I like your legs, too," Chloe replied, slurring just as much, "You don't really have a butt, but I like you anyway." She gave Max a smooch on the tip of the nose, and then the brunette settled back down next to her, smooshing up as close as she could.

"I love you, Chloe," Max mumbled, nuzzling, "You are, like, the bestest teddy bear ever."

"Psh, sure I am," Chloe agreed, settling her arm around Max and sipping more of her wine, "Most teddy bears can't diddle your twat, for one thing. Sorry. _Flower._ " She snickered a little, but Max couldn't be bothered to feel irritated about being teased at this point.

"But, like, I really _do_ love you, though," Max continued, "Like, I want to live with you and hold you and marry you and have your babies and get old with you and knit quilts and crap." She wasn't entirely sure where she'd been going with that, but she felt like her point had probably come across.

"You can't 'have my babies,' Max," Chloe pointed out. Max frowned.

"You don't know that," she replied, "Science and stuff." Chloe shrugged, and leaned down for another kiss.

"You're drunk," the taller girl noted, "But you're sweet." She stroked Max's hair.

" _You're_ drunk," Max said back, "I mean, I guess we kind of planned that, though." Chloe smiled down at her. God, Chloe was so beautiful. And so sexy. Bexy. Seautiful. Whatever. She was _perfect._

 **A/N: More silly fluff than romantic fluff, but I wanted them to get a little drunk and goofy.**


	32. Inhibition

To Chloe's relief, she was _not_ hungover when she woke up. Kinda thirsty, sure, but not hungover. For her part, Max was still asleep, snuggled up in Chloe's arms. She'd been so cute the night before, all tipsy and cuddly. She hadn't really pressed for anything beyond kissing, though, which Chloe was quietly thankful for.

After the shit that had gone down with Nathan, Chloe wasn't super eager to get frisky while drunk. She and Max had been going at it so much while sober that she'd probably be fine, but the last thing she wanted was to have Max feeling her up and suddenly flash back to the _last_ time somebody'd groped her while she was drunk.

Max would probably be really nice about it, though. Of all people, she'd get it. Max had never brought it up explicitly, but she'd gotten kind of distant and shut down all of the sudden a few times while things had been heating up. Chloe assumed it was about Dark Room stuff, or maybe that nightmare, but she figured it was probably better just not to pry.

Besides, Chloe wasn't too into drunk sex, anyway. Sure, she'd screwed while drunk plenty of times, but that was mostly just with her old fuckboys. She and Rachel had been stoned the first couple of times they'd banged, but pretty quickly dropped the pretense and just went at it sober. That had been so much better than fucking while wasted, she'd decided. With Max, just like with Rachel, she didn't feel like she needed to be drunk or spaced out. She wanted to be alert when screwing Max, to be acutely aware of every moment. Maybe eventually they'd get silly drunk again and fool around, and it would probably be a good time, to be honest. But for now, Chloe wanted to stay focused.

Max was still asleep, but Chloe didn't want to waken her. Despite not actually being much bigger than the brunette, Chloe always thought Max looked tiny when they were cuddled up like this. Skinny little arms, skinny little legs, skinny little waist, skinny little butt. It was weird how she somehow managed to still feel so soft and cuddly, but that was fine by Chloe. With all the craziness going on in their lives, "how is Max both cuddly and skinny?" ranked pretty low on her list of concerns. Instead, she just settled back down against the pillow and held her Max close.

In time, the smaller girl began to stir. She slowly stretched her legs, and sluggishly squeezed Chloe in her arms. Nuzzling up against Chloe's shoulder, she made a quiet little sound in her throat, between a moan, a hum, and a purr.

"How are you feeling?" Chloe asked softly, gently stroking Max's hair. Max hadn't drunk much more than she had, but she was also smaller. That, and Chloe was pretty sure Max wasn't as used to booze as she was.

"Pretty good," Max replied, blinking her eyes open and smiling up at Chloe, "A little thirsty, a little headachy, but I regret nothing!" Chloe smiled and kissed Max on the forehead, and then on the lips. The brunette cheerfully accepted the kiss, apparently feeling as good as she claimed. "I hope I didn't seem too silly last night." Chloe shook her head.

"Nah, you were fine," she assured her, gently running her hand along Max's back, "Really cute. Not that you're not cute when you're sober." Max smiled and climbed up to lie on top of Chloe, resting her chin on the blue haired girl's chest.

"Good," Max stated, "You seemed plenty composed, so no worries there." She grinned, and Chloe smiled back at her. Of course, she had known full well she'd be able to handle a couple glasses of wine, but she was glad Max felt fine about everything. After a moment, however, a twinge of guilt flashed over Max's face.

"You're not, um, disappointed, though, are you?" She asked. Chloe raised an eyebrow, a little confused.

"Why would I be disappointed?" Max glanced away and bit her lip.

"Just, I didn't get super uninhibited or anything," the brunette explained, looking back at Chloe, "So, like, if you were expecting wild monkey sex or something because I was drunk, I guess that would be kind of a letdown." She blushed as she described her thought process, but Chloe was just relieved. The idea of Max being uninhibited did pique Chloe's interest, of course. _Was_ she inhibited normally? Was there something she was holding back? Was it kinky and exciting? But the fact that Max hadn't gone to sleep bitter or anything was relief enough for now.

"Max, it's fine," Chloe assured her, smiling, and gently rubbing her back, "I like cuddling you just fine." She briefly considered just leaving it at that, but just being with Max had a way of making her spill her secrets. If she didn't love Max so damn much, that might have been frustrating. "To be honest, I, uh, wasn't really feeling drunk sex. Not now, anyway. Too much too recently, I guess." Max's face went from fear to concern in a split second.

"Oh, God, Chloe!" she breathed, eyes wide, "I didn't even think of that! I'm sorry, I shouldn't have even suggested drinking together! I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" She started to get frantic, and Chloe squeezed her tight, stroking her hair and murmuring "shh" to calm her down.

"Max, everything's okay," Chloe whispered, "It was fine and fun and cute. I'm glad we did that. I'm not disappointed, and I'm not mad." After a moment of Chloe whispering assurances to her, the smaller girl settled down, nuzzling against Chloe's chest.

"Okay," she murmured, looking back up at Chloe and smiling apologetically, "So long as you had a good time last night." The blue haired girl leaned in and gave her a playful kiss on the tip of the nose.

"You know," Chloe remarked, "We're sober _now._ " Max grinned.

 **A/N: Sorry this update came a little slow. It's crunch time here at grad school, so updates will be a little patchy for a little while as I try to write 'em between working on final papers and stuff.**


	33. Cold and Hot

Max cautiously made her way through the park, trying her best to keep low. It had snowed a good deal the night before, and she and Chloe had decided to go out for a walk to enjoy the snow while it was undisturbed. On their first circuit of the park, Max had posed Chloe for photos, and taken plenty of selfies as well, of course. After they'd made it all the way around, though, they weren't quite ready to head home.

Which was how Max and Chloe had ended up in a snowball fight. The park was sort of hilly, with plenty of trees and a playground in the center, so there were places to hide and ambush each other from. Chloe had gotten in the first couple of hits, then run off somewhere else in the park before Max could return fire. Now she was glancing around, snowball in hand, trying to get the drop on Chloe.

Coming to the top of one of the low hills, Max spotted Chloe standing by a tree, facing away from her and peering around the trunk. As quietly as she could, Max crept down the slope and towards the blue haired girl, readying the snowball. Photography aside, hand-eye coordination had never been her strong suit, and so she wanted to get as close as she could before actually throwing. Once she was as close as she guessed she needed to be, she lobbed the snowball.

The projectile made impact between Chloe's shoulders, and the taller girl spun around, cocking her arm back and throwing a snowball in Max's direction. That one, at least, missed, and Max flashed a proud grin as she scooped up another handful of snow and hastily packed it into a sphere. Looking up, she saw Chloe had done the same, and they both threw their respective snowballs at the same time.

Max's flew wild, but Chloe's hit Max square in the face, knocking her onto her back. Immediately, Max reached down to check that her camera was fine, which, to her relief, it was. Only after that did she reach up to wipe the snow from her face. Chloe sprinted over, wide eyed and looking distraught.

"Shit!" the blue haired girl exclaimed as she clopped to a halt beside Max, "Sorry, I didn't think it would do that! I was aiming for your shoulder, I swear! Are you okay?" Max pushed herself up into a sitting position and blinked a couple of times. Admittedly, she was kind of annoyed that Chloe had hit her in the face with a snowball, but it had probably been an accident. Based on her face, Chloe seemed legit concerned, though.

"I'm fine," Max replied, trying to smile reassuringly up at the taller girl, "But I think I'm ready to be done with snowball fighting for now." She reached her hands up, and Chloe hurriedly helped her to her feet. Hand in hand, they started walking towards the street.

"You were doing pretty well there for a while," Chloe remarked as they reached the sidewalk, "Like, sneaking up on me there was really slick." Max didn't really think she'd done very well at all, but she appreciated that Chloe was trying to make her feel good about herself.

"When you're shy and awkward, you get really good at going unnoticed," Max commented, "I'm glad I hit you at least once, though." Chloe squeezed her hand as they turned the corner onto Max's street.

"I was totally planning to sneak up on you, too," Chloe said, "But, I mean, I'm the first to admit that subtlety isn't exactly one of my strengths. Occasional ninja skills aside, of course." After a few more minutes, they reached the house, kicking the snow from their shoes and stepping into the foyer.

"I got some snow and slush in my clothes when I fell over," Max grumbled, slipping her shoes off and stepping off to the side, "So I figure I'll change. I might take a shower first, though." Just as she'd hoped, Chloe perked up. "Interested?"

"I mean, sure," Chloe replied, affecting a casual tone, "After an hour and some out in the cold, this skinny bod could use some hot water." They hung up their coats and quickly padded up the stairs. Eager to get out of her cold, wet clothes, Max hastily undressed and scurried into the bathroom to turn on the water. Her face still stung a little from the snowball, both its impact and the snow that had been splattered all over her face for a few seconds there.

"Seriously, though," Chloe mumbled, stepping into the bathroom and closing the door behind her, "Sorry about the slush in your clothes. Much as I like getting you wet, that's not a way I'd pick." Max blushed but snickered, setting the water to a good temperature.

"You should probably get in with me, then," Max teased, standing back up and stepping into the shower, pulling the curtain most of the way around the tub but peeking her face out to keep looking at Chloe, "It'll be all hot and steamy." Chloe grinned and strode over to the tub, stepping in as Max stood back to give her room.

"Yes, this is much better," Chloe announced, shuffling around so that she was in the spray, "And now we're wet together. Even better!" She laughed at her own joke, and Max joined in. "But seriously, though, how's your face?"

"It still stings some," Max conceded, moving a little closer to the taller girl and biting her lip, "You should probably kiss it and make it better." Chloe smiled and put her arms around Max's waist, holding her close and leaning down to press a light kiss to the brunette's forehead.

"Better?" She asked. Max gave a sly smile up at her and shook her head.

"Nope, still stings," she replied, "Gonna need more kisses. A lot more, actually." Chloe feigned exasperation and began to kiss all over Max's face.

"Oh, darn," Chloe grumbled, her voice dripping with amusement and sarcasm, "What a fucking chore!" She punctuated each word with kisses, and steadily worked her way down towards Max's lips. "But I'll do what I must." Max liked the way she teased, and closed her eyes, just enjoying the moment of standing in the warm water, feeling her Chloe's arms around her waist and lips against her face.

"I know, I know, I'm so high maintenance," Max joked in reply, voice quiet but happy, "Between kissing me, cuddling me, and making love, it's a wonder you can find any time in the day to feed me cookies!" Chloe snickered and continued along Max's face, stealing a brief but electric kiss from her lips before moving along her cheek.

"Oh, totally," Chloe agreed, loosening her hold on Max's waist and moving her hands to the brunette's hips, "Loving you is a full time job, Max Caulfield." Chloe had said Max's name in that way that made her heart skip a beat, and the hands on her hips were enough to ratchet the moment up from tender to exciting. Which was fine by her.

"On the bright side," she murmured, moving her hands up to find the base of Chloe's neck and her short, blue hair, "At least you're doing something you love." The blue haired girl stopped her barrage of kisses and leaned back slightly for a moment, just enough to look into Max's eyes.

"Some _one_ ," Chloe corrected, moving in for a gentle, loving kiss, "But yeah. Wouldn't trade it for the world."


	34. Netflix and Chill

Chloe carefully dabbed the chocolate icing to the upper part of the little cookie person. It wasn't _perfect_ , by any means, but Gingerbread Max's hair was coming along nicely. She'd mixed icing and food coloring in a series of little bowls so she'd have all the colors she wanted. There were only so many color variations she could actually make, of course, at least with Betty Crocker frosting and the standard off-the-shelf food coloring you can get at the supermarket. Still, she'd gotten a dark blue for jeans, both for Gingerbread Max and her own cookie doppelganger, as well as a bit of light blue for her hair. There was a bit of pink for Max's shirt, and the plain white would work for her tank top.

Once she finished decorating the cookies, she hastily washed the bowls and baking sheet. She'd never been a tidy person, per se, but Chloe didn't really like leaving dirty dishes in the Caulfields' kitchen. She was staying with them for like three months, eating their food and banging their daughter, so the least she could do was keep the place clean. Drying her hands, she picked up the plate with the two cookies and left the room to find Max.

The house was all Christmased up, and Chloe loved it. There was a big tree in the living room, all decked out with lights and ornaments and everything. A _real_ tree, too, not like the plastic one they set up back at her house every year. The whole house smelled faintly of fir, and it was awesome! Plus, there was 24/7 Christmas music on one of the radio stations, which she was totally loving.

She found Max lounging on the couch in the den, watching TV. Seeing Chloe come into the room with a plate, Max sat up a little. Chloe smiled a little to herself. She'd trained the brunette well.

"What did you whip up this time?" Max asked as Chloe walked over to the couch, "I didn't want to interrupt your Christmas carols and baking groove, but it smelled amazing." Chloe sat down next to Max and proudly set the plate down on the coffee table.

"I made little gingerbread versions of us!" she declared, "This one's me, obviously." She picked up her little cookie effigy and held it in front of her face, putting on a high pitched voice, "'Hi, Max! I wanna be inside you!'" Max laughed but took the Gingerbread Chloe, examining it.

"These look really cute!" she remarked, "Yours has little blue hair and everything!" Chloe smiled and picked up the Gingerbread Max.

"I'm glad you like them," the blue haired girl said, "Not sure how good they'll actually taste, but I mostly just wanted to make them fun looking." Max gingerly touched the head of the Chloe cookie to the Max cookie's, making a kissing sound with her lips before taking a nibble.

"Mm, this one's pretty good!" Max declared, smiling and taking a bigger bite this time, "How do I taste?"

"Wonderful, always," Chloe replied with a cheeky smile before lifting the Max cookie to her mouth, "But the cookie version of you is also tasty." She winked and Max blushed, but the brunette leaned over to snuggle up against her anyway.

"Even when you're all cutesy and domestic, you're a perv," Max mumbled, taking another bite of her cookie. Chloe gently put her arm around Max and rubbed her shoulder, leaning against the back of the couch and holding the brunette close.

"Yeah, but I'm your cutesy, domestic perv," she replied, smiling to herself. Max shifted until she found the spot on Chloe's shoulder she always liked to rest her head against, nuzzling a little.

"And don't you forget it," Max remarked, a smile in her voice. They sat in comfortable silence for a minute as they both ate their cookies, just enjoying their sweets and each other's company.

"So, what are we watching?" Chloe asked, turning her attention to the television, on which a clearly wealthy couple were fussing over bay windows.

"Eh, 'House Hunters,'" Max replied, "A reminder that money and class are _not_ one and the same. But we can watch whatever. It's just Netflix."

"So we're doing 'Netflix and Chill,' then?" Chloe summarized, "I guess 'House Hunters' is fine. I like judging people as much as the next girl. I'll just set my alarm for twenty minutes, though, at which point I will give you this look." She leaned away a little so that Max could see her face, on which she flashed a mock seductive look. Max laughed and pulled Chloe back to her.

"Well, the episodes aren't super long, so that should probably work out pretty well," Max noted, finding her comfy spot again and sliding her arms around Chloe, "But I feel like it's a little late to be making a move. You may recall that we've been sleeping together for like two months."

"Eh, that just means we'll know what we're doing, then," Chloe replied, "'Netflix and Chill' is serious business. Wouldn't want to screw it up like a couple of amateurs."

"And, as we all know, Chloe Price is all about serious business," Max teased, scooching up to kiss Chloe on the cheek.

"Oh, definitely," Chloe agreed, turning her head to catch Max's lips with her own, "Like I said, loving you is my full time job." They kissed again, gently and drawn out.

"And yet," Max murmured whey their lips parted, her face still mere inches from Chloe's, "Here we are, jumping the gun like a couple of amateurs." Chloe smiled, feeling Max's breath against her lips as the brunette spoke.

"We're not quite ready for 'Netflix and Chill,' I guess," Chloe sighed, kissing Max again. The shorter girl fumbled for the remote and turned the TV off before climbing up into Chloe's lap, straddling her and pressing herself close.

"We'll just have to keep practicing, then," Max noted slyly, nuzzling her cheek against Chloe's before giving the blue haired girl another long, gentle kiss.


	35. Memories and Dirty Lies

Max clicked the TV off and turned to Chloe, who was asleep next to her in one corner of the couch. She smiled a little as she gently brushed a few strands of blue hair from Chloe's face, admiring the girl she loved so much. Aside from her parents, Chloe's face was the earliest face Max could really remember. They'd been close since fricken' _daycare_ , and even though Chloe had been a year ahead of her, they had still carpooled to and from school. True, they'd each had other friends in their classes, but one had always been over at the other's house in the afternoon at least a couple of times a week, right up until Max's family had moved to Seattle.

When they'd first moved, Max had, of course, been sad. She'd missed her best friend, and she'd wanted to be there for Chloe, especially since William had just died. Sure, she'd never really reached out to keep in contact through email or Facebook or anything, but she wasn't really sure why. She'd meant to. So many times, she'd opened up her email and started to write, but then closed the window. Part of it was just the overwhelming weight of everything. What do you say to your best friend when you're hundreds of miles away and her dad's just died?

As time had gone by, Max had never forgotten about Chloe, exactly, but she'd made new friends and new routines. It wasn't until they'd been reunited in October that she realized how big a hole Chloe had left in her life. It was almost like a part of her had been missing, and she'd just been going through life with only half of herself. Crazy context aside, it had felt so amazing to be hanging out with Chloe again.

Then there was the kiss. Her heart had fluttered when Chloe had "dared" Max to kiss her, and that moment had stuck in the back of her mind. When she'd come back from the other timeline, she'd wanted to kiss Chloe again, but doing that would have taken more confidence than she'd had, at least at that point.

After the hurricane, they'd just driven out of town. She'd cried a lot, and been pretty checked out for a lot of that first day. The first night, in the motel they'd stayed at, she'd just cried herself to sleep, wondering if she'd made the right choice, then glancing over to Chloe, sleeping in the other bed, and feeling certain somehow that she had. She'd been more composed the next day, and around noon the Blackwell email blast had gone out, doing a head count. Then Joyce had started texting Chloe. The rest of that afternoon they'd both been much looser, much more at ease. When they stopped at a motel for the night, well…

"Become one flesh." That was how Kate had described sex one time, when Max had agreed to go along to a Purity Club meeting. It had sounded all woojie and archaic at the time, but when Max and Chloe had made love for the first time, it certainly felt accurate. Two months later, it didn't feel any less exciting every time they went at it. Exciting in a different way, maybe, since it wasn't so new anymore, but definitely not less exciting.

"What'cha thinkin' about?" Chloe asked groggily as Max stroked her hair.

"You, mainly," Max replied, jarred out of her reminiscence. Chloe opened her eyes about halfway and glanced at Max, smiling.

"Just good things, I hope," Chloe said, lazily putting her arm around Max. Without a second thought, Max settled back down next to the taller girl, nestling in the crook of her arm.

"Yeah," she murmured, "Good things." They rested there for a few minutes, just cuddling. In time, though, Chloe stretched her arms and sat up, cracking her neck.

"God, what time is it?" she wondered aloud, picking up her phone and lighting up the screen, "Wow, a little after four! I was out for what, like an hour and a half?"

"Something like that," Max replied, "Or, about five episodes of 'House Hunters,' including the episode we, uh, paused." Chloe grinned at the mention of their shenanigans.

"Guess we should Febreze the fuck outta this room before your parents get home," Chloe remarked, sniffing, "Like, literally. It smells like sex in here." Max sighed and laughed, resting back against the couch as Chloe stood.

"Probably," Max conceded, getting to her feet, "Mom and Dad did ask us to keep it down at night, and I feel like covering our tracks in the daytime is kind of included in the broader spirit of that request."

"Exactly," Chloe agreed, "I don't wanna wear out my welcome." Max walked over to the hallway, grabbing the canister of air freshener spray from the hall closet and coming back into the den, where Chloe was carefully arranging the throw pillows.

"I want to leave the place looking nice," she explained, placing the last pillow and stepping back, "How's that look. Does it convey the message 'Your daughter definitely didn't go down on anyone on this couch'?" Max blushed a little, but laughed nonetheless.

"Something like that," Max replied, spritzing air freshener around the room, "Damn couch is a dirty liar."


	36. Gift Shopping

Chloe glanced through her money envelope. There'd been like five thousand dollars in it when she stole it from Wells's office, and even after the chunk she'd spent on their way up to Seattle, there was still a lot left. Of course, the reason she'd lifted the cash in the first place was to pay Frank off, but, well, Frank was probably dead…

Her first instinct was to go out and spend it all. Fix up her truck, buy a heap of weed, maybe a new computer. Crap, she should have left some with Mom to help cover repairs. Of course, that would probably lead to an awkward conversation about where the money had come from. She'd figure out a way to get some of the money into Mom's hands, she decided.

In the meantime, she wanted to get Max something for Christmas. Well, and Ryan and Vanessa, too, she guessed. She had the money, and it seemed polite. But mainly she wanted to get Max something nice. But what, though? Camera crap? Chloe wasn't really sure what sort of stuff Max needed, let alone what was good or not. Maybe a giftcard or something? That felt pretty impersonal.

A part of her wanted to get Max something sexy, like lingerie of a vibrator or something. But Chloe couldn't exactly leave any of those things under the tree for Max to open up on Christmas morning in front of her parents. And maybe her relatives? Chloe was unclear on what exactly the Caulfields were gonna do for Christmas, so it was possible there were going to be aunts and uncles and cousins and grandparents loitering around the house all day. Or maybe even for a couple of days. Not like Chloe wasn't a guest there herself, but she _was_ living there sorta long term.

So that still left her at a loss for what to buy Max for Christmas. Something quirky and unique. That's the sort of thing Max would like. Hell, that was the sort of person Max was. Chloe guessed she could probably find something good in that neat neighborhood Max had shown her around that one time a few weeks before. Well, and maybe a flannel. Max had looked really cute in that flannel she'd borrowed, and Chloe wanted to see more of that.

"Hey, Max?" she called, getting up from the couch and stepping into the hallway, "Do you wanna go out for a bit?"

"Sure," Max replied, her words a little muffled from the granola bar she was snacking on as she left the kitchen, "Any place in particular? Or do you just need to stretch your legs?"

"That hipster-y part of town," Chloe explained, "I wanna do some browsing, and maybe buy some stuff."

"Sounds good," Max said, finishing her snack, "I'll go get my bag, and we can head out." Chloe followed the brunette up the stairs, stepping into their room- er, Max's room- to drop off her money envelope. She always tried to be discrete, but maybe Max saw. If she did, she didn't mention it. Max must have known she was spending the Wells money, on some level. But whatever, she didn't make a thing out of it.

The trip into town was uneventful, and they found a parking spot without too much hassle. From there, they started to walk around the neighborhood, hand in hand and stopping here and there to look in shop windows. Everywhere they stopped, Chloe watched Max carefully, scanning for any indication of what she might like. In one store there were some feather earrings, like the one Rachel had liked, but Max walked past them without a second look, and Chloe breathed a sigh of relief. That would have been a bit more than she was willing to handle just yet.

Another store they looked through had some vintage band t-shirts, and Max did stop to look through those. None of them really lit her face up, though, so Chloe figured that maybe those would just be a backup plan. As they walked around the boutique, Chloe saw a little display of skull-themed jewelry, and she allowed herself a few moments to hop over and take a look.

There were rings, earrings, bracelets, and necklaces on display, all featuring bones or skulls in some king of way. At first glance, Chloe figured that she wasn't going to find much for Max over there, but then she saw it: A necklace with a little skull and crossbones, the skull sporting an eyepatch and red bandana. It was a little cartoon-y looking, and seemed almost friendly. As soon as she saw it, Chloe thought back to all the times she and Max had played "pirates" together, and she immediately knew what Max was getting for Christmas.

Glancing over her shoulder to check what Max was doing, Chloe snatched the necklace from the rack and strode over to the checkout counter. The guy at the register, luckily, was quick, and she'd paid for the necklace and stowed it in her pocket before Max finished browsing through novelty shirts. Trying to seem as casual as possible, Chloe caught up with the brunette and put her arms around her waist.

"Seeing anything cool?" Chloe asked, resting her chin on the shorter girl's shoulder. Max felt small and cozy in her arms, radiating warmth into Chloe's chest as she nestled in close.

"I mean, everything in here's pretty neat," Max replied, "Those band shirts were cool. These 'joke' shirts are kinda hit and miss, though. Like, this one is funny," she pointed to a red t-shirt with caricatures of Karl Marx, Vladimir Lenin, Josef Stalin, and Mao Zedong drinking and dancing, with faux-Cyrillic letters reading "Communist Party," "But some of those other ones just say stuff like 'kiss my ass' and stuff." They kept looking through the store for another few minutes, but Chloe was content with her purchase, and didn't much mind when they left and went back to walking around the area. Eventually, they started back towards the truck.

"Any place else you want to go while we're out?" Max asked. Chloe thought for a moment.

"Is there, like, a Target or anything around?" She suggested, "There's some stuff your kitchen's missing, and I figure some new cooking stuff can be what I get Ryan and Vanessa." Max smiled at her as they got into the pickup truck.

"Yeah, not too far from here," the brunette replied, "But I don't think you have to get Mom and Dad presents." Chloe shrugged.

"It feels like the right thing to do," she insisted, starting the engine and pulling out of the parking space, "They're letting me stay here, and they're just being real nice about pretending not to know we're banging all the time, so I figure I should get 'em something nice, you know?" Blushing a little and giggling, Max nodded.

"That does make sense," Max conceded, "I mean, it's definitely not a bad idea. It'll definitely win you some brownie points."

"Well, that's a plus," Chloe noted, "Glad I thought to actually do Christmas shopping."

"You know, you don't have to get anything for me, either, Chloe," Max told her, voice gentle. Chloe smirked over at her.

"Oh, please," she scoffed, "I wanna get you nice things, and I figure Christmas is as good a time as any to start." Max reached out and lightly rubbed Chloe's arm.

"You're so sweet," the brunette murmured, smiling softly, "But the best thing, the gift I treasure most, is just the time that we have together." Chloe hastily wiped her eyes as they stopped at a red light.

"Just as well," Chloe replied, still a little teary, "I don't think I come with a gift receipt."

"No problem," Max said, "I wouldn't trade you for the world."

 **A/N: Glad to be back! I'm finished with my semester (5700 words on the 1745 Jacobite Rising and 5900 words on "The Song of Roland" have proved quite the diversion), and will now hopefully be updating more regularly again!**


	37. Routine

Sleeping alone was probably going to be the biggest adjustment when school started up again, Max concluded. It was weird, since she'd only really been sleeping with someone for two months now. Sure, she'd shared a bed with people before, at sleepovers and stuff. But there was "sleeping on two sides of a big bed," then there was "sleeping in someone's arms, with your head on their boobs." Waking up every morning snuggled up with Chloe, gently guided out of sleep by the taller girl's slow and steady breathing, was absolutely heavenly. It was how she wanted to start every day, from now until she died.

That wasn't super practical, of course. She was gonna be back in the dorms once they were back in Arcadia Bay, and Chloe was going to be back at her house. They could probably arrange to spend the night together relatively frequently, of course, but "every night" was probably going to turn into "a few times a week," Max supposed. It wasn't like Chloe could just up and move into her dormroom. Right? Well, probably.

Knowing their little honeymoon had an expiration date just made Max hold Chloe all the tighter. Laying there in bed on a chilly December morning, Max kept her eyes shut and let Chloe's heartbeat lull her in and out of sleep. Eventually, she remained conscious, smiling and taking a deep breath.

Max wouldn't go so far as to say Chloe smelled _nice_ , per se. Whether someone smelled good or not was a matter of subjective opinion, of course, but the blue haired girl didn't exactly smell like a bed of roses. When she was dressed and up for the day, she smelled like dollar-store dude's deodorant, and her clothes never quite lost their cigarette smell, although she'd seemed to be cutting back, at least. But in the mornings, in bed, she smelled like sweat, some body odor, and, depending on what they'd done the night before, a little bit like crotch. The first few mornings Max had woken up in Chloe's arms, she'd wrinkled her nose a little. Once she was past that, she'd often felt a little embarrassed, smelling, um, herself on the taller girl. But after a few weeks, she found that Chloe's smell was just another thing about Chloe she'd fallen in love with.

Sometimes Max wondered if Chloe liked the way that _she_ smelled. The first time they'd made love she'd been nervous that Chloe was going to grind everything to a halt, tell her she smelled bad or tasted weird or looked bad or something, and just roll over and fall asleep. That hadn't happened, of course, and Max had gotten past her trepidation after a few nights. She'd even gotten over her discomfort with being naked, and now she felt completely at ease around Chloe, willing to drop even the little barriers she kept up when she was with, well, everyone else.

After some amount of time, Chloe stirred and stretched, quickly returning her arm to its place around Max. That was what she usually did when she woke up, and Max typically responded by nuzzling against Chloe's chest and shoulder. People so often talked about "routine" like it was some kind of death knell for a relationship, but Max absolutely loved how familiar things were with Chloe.

"Morning, Max," Chloe greeted, still sounding a little groggy and gently rubbing Max's arm.

"Mmmm. Good morning," Max replied, looking up at her blue haired sweetheart.

"Looks like it snowed last night," Chloe noted, tilting her head up and looking out the window, "It's a Christmas miracle! Well, an almost-Christmas miracle, anyway."

"Yeah," Max scoffed, "Snow in late December is _totally_ a miraculous occurrence." She shifted around and propped herself up on her side, getting into a better position to actually talk.

"Don't ruin Christmas!" Chloe grumbled, pouting playfully, "It's like four days 'til Christmas, and fresh snow is _obviously_ magic. Christmas magic. Like, from Santa Claus and crap." Max affected an exaggerated sigh.

"God, I'm dating a five year old!" she laughed, "You and my little cousins will get along just fine." Chloe grinned cheekily.

"Yeah, about that," Chloe remarked, "What are we doing for Christmas? Like, are we going to your grandparents' house or something? Would I even be coming along?"

"Well, Christmas morning is just us," Max explained, "I mean, you, me, Mom, and Dad. In the afternoon we usually get together with my Mom's side of the family, and do an early dinner type of thing. I think they're coming to our place this year. So, you'll get to meet my grandparents, my aunt, and my cousins." Max was a little nervous about introducing Chloe to her extended family, but she hoped they'd be nice about everything. If not, well, they'd just have to deal with it. Once she'd settled into a routine, she hated to break it.


	38. Naked pirate captain goddess

Chloe wasn't sure what exactly Max's parents did that meant they had so many office parties and galas to go to, but she wasn't gonna look a gift horse in the mouth. Life with Max in Seattle felt like a dream, but the date nights that they had when they got the house to themselves for the night were definitely the highlight. The night couldn't have been more perfect, either, with a nice snowfall outside setting the perfect backdrop as they snuggled up together by the fire.

They hadn't really _needed_ anything to lounge on, but she did like the fluffy, fuzzy blanket they'd laid out. It was softer than the hardwood floor, at any rate. It wasn't exactly a bearskin rug or anything, but to Chloe it may as well have been. She felt like Artemis, goddess of the hunt, resting beside her hearth on one of her many trophies, lightly running her hand through the hair of a maiden she'd seduced out into the forest. That was bullshit, of course. She was really a burnout, sitting in someone else's house, on a normal blanket, stroking the hair of a girl who loved her more than she deserved.

"This is nice," Max murmured, her head resting in Chloe's lap, "I should have used your thighs as a pillow a long time ago." Chloe smiled and carefully brushed the brunette's hair behind her ear, giving a clearer view of her face as it was lit by the crackling flames.

"What can I say?" Chloe replied, "I may not look it, but I'm hella cuddly."

"You are," Max agreed, "I don't know how I ever managed to sleep without you." Chloe's heart fluttered, and she grinned. She was crazy attracted to Max, and she loved screwing her, but that wasn't a super big deal for her. Sure, it was great to hear Max moan, sigh, and "wowser" as she worked, but Chloe _knew_ she was good in bed, and she knew there were plenty of people who'd fuck her. But being told she was good to cuddle, or good to walk around with in public, not just good to fuck, _that_ was huge for her.

"Seriously?" Chloe asked, her tone light, "God, I must be forbidden fruit or something. I guess you'll just have to toss and turn in your dorm on nights we're not together, yearning for my touch." Max snorted.

"When you put it like that, it sounds like you should be ripping a corset off of me on the cover of some book in a grocery story," Max remarked, "You'd be a pirate captain, obviously. I'd be some young artist, betrothed to some nice but boring man I didn't love. Then you'd swoop me up from the shore one day, and we'd go on all sorts of adventures. Sexy adventures." It wasn't quite her Greek goddess fantasy, but Chloe liked the sound of it all the same.

"Yeah, that all sounds about right," Chloe noted, "You'd get rescued by the navy, and brought home, but it would never be the same. Eventually, you'd run away in the night to find me again. And we'd totally bang on a beach in the Bahamas."

"Oh, definitely," Max agreed, sitting up and grinning at Chloe, "A trashy romance novel without at least one instance of sex on the beach is considered a dull affair."

"That'll be something to shoot for once the weather's nice again," Chloe suggested, a sly smile crossing her face, "Profaning the beach of Arcadia Bay will be yet another exploit to add to the legend of Captain Chloe: Lady thief." Max rolled her eyes and chuckled.

"So, is that a thief who is a lady, or a thief who steals ladies?" Max asked. Chloe shrugged.

"Both, probably," she replied, "The point is, I'm the girl who's stolen you and spirited you away to my forest retreat."

"'Forest retreat?'" Max repeated, bemused, "But you're a pirate. What are you doing with a forest retreat?"

"Oh, I'm also, like, a goddess who's taken human form," Chloe explained matter-of-factly, stitching her goddess daydream onto the pirate fantasy on the fly, "So I've got a hunting lodge deep in the woods that no mortal man can find, too, in addition to my badass pirate ship. That's also why I'm naked so often."

"A pirate ship and a secret magical hunting lodge?" Max said, raising her eyebrows and grinning, "Wow, Captain Chloe: Lady thief and naked forest goddess is quite the go-getter."

"Well, I mean, if I don't have _some_ kind of permanent home, then I'm just a magical pirate Frank with boobs," Chloe pointed out, "And let's face it, not even being a magical pirate with boobs would make Frank any better. Even a billion times zero is still zero." Max laughed, leaning in closer to Chloe and smiling.

"Luckily, I don't want Frank, boobs or not," Max whispered, "And I don't need a naked goddess, or a pirate captain, or a naked pirate captain goddess. You're all I need or want." Softly, she pressed her lips against Chloe's. In return, Chloe put her arms around the little brunette, pulling her close and up onto her lap, before running her hands down Max's sides and to her hips.

"You'd still like me if I _were_ to somehow become a naked pirate captain goddess, though, right?" Chloe asked once the kiss ended, smiling up at her Max as she slid her hands up under the brunette's shirt.

"Of course I would," Max replied, rolling her eyes but smiling as she eagerly ran her hands over Chloe's shoulders and grinned down at her, "A billion times infinity is still infinity."


	39. As You Are

Max pulled her shirt back on and buttoned her jeans, a tired smile on her face. Chloe, on the other hand, was still just lying on the blanket, splayed out naked in the firelight. The dying flames painted her pale skin orange as they crackled, and the light reflecting off her sweat made her almost seem to glow. They had been joking about trashy romance novels, but making love by the fireplace, on a warm, soft blanket was still one of the most genuinely romantic experiences Max had ever had.

She smiled down at her beloved Chloe, whose shallow chest rose and fell in a steady rhythm. Max couldn't help be feel a little envious of how comfortable Chloe was in her own skin and nothing else. Sure, she had gotten more at ease with her own body and being naked, but for her nudity was still just for bathing, sex, and, lately, sleeping. Other than that, she felt the need to wear _something_ to cover herself, hence the getting dressed again.

There wasn't anything to be done for it just then, though, so she decided to just relax and enjoy watching Chloe. It wasn't like this was a new sight to her, but she was entranced just the same. When she'd first seen Chloe splashing around in the Blackwell pool, she'd felt some butterflies in her stomach and a flutter in her heart. It wasn't like she'd never seen another girl in her underwear before, of course, but context was sort of everything, to Max. In swim class or at the beach, she was there to swim, not ogle all the cute boys and girls. In the shower room at the dorms, she was there to get in, get clean, and leave, not appreciate glimpses of Victoria or Kate dropping a towel. But when they'd broken into the pool, with Chloe making suggestive jokes and looking at her with those bedroom eyes, it was hard for her to focus on anything besides how gorgeous Chloe was.

Now, more than two months of looking at that gorgeous woman every day, Max wasn't getting tired of the experience. Not in the slightest. At length, Chloe seemed to notice that Max was gazing at her, and smiled.

"Enjoying the view?" the blue haired girl asked, making a sweeping motion with her hand as if presenting herself for Max, "Might as well. I don't really plan on wearing clothes again until the morning."

"In that case, we should probably go up to my room," Max replied, "I don't know when exactly my parents are getting home, but it can't be too long now." She checked her phone, finding it was nearly eleven o'clock. "Nice as you are to look at, I don't think Mom and Dad want to see your boobs or your snatch."

"Psh, you sound like the Arcadia Bay Sherriff's Department," Chloe joked, sitting up, "But point taken. Let's go ahead and put this fire out." Max got up and turned the knob to shut off the gas, then took the poker and broke up the charred logs, and the fire soon sputtered out. The two of them were left in the darkness, lit only by the lights on the Christmas tree.

While Max had been dealing with the fire, Chloe had gathered up her clothing and the blanket, and they padded up the stairs and to Max's room, shutting the door behind them. Max began to undress again, this time in preparation for bed, while Chloe simply tossed her bundle of clothes into the hamper and went to brush her teeth. After brushing her own teeth, Max clicked off the bathroom light and climbed into bed next to Chloe.

"Christmas Eve tomorrow," Chloe noted as Max settled into her arms, "Should we get footie pajamas or something so we can run down the stairs and to the tree on Christmas morning?" Max smiled at the idea, the image of the two of them bounding through the house in onesies like overgrown kindergarteners making her giggle.

"Nah, I think we'll be fine in T-shirts and sweatpants," Max replied quietly, shifting around a little and finding her comfy spot, "My love of photography isn't a family trait, so they're not going to insist on us being all picturesque or anything. Just a minimum level of presentability."

"By your parents' standards, I'm assuming?" Chloe said, her tone playful, "Because you don't seem to have any problem with me being nekkid." Max rolled her eyes and smiled, leaning up to kiss the taller girl.

"Yes, presentable for Mom and Dad," Max reiterated, "For just me, you're fine as you are."


	40. Twas the Night Before

Chloe set the small, wrapped box under the Christmas tree, with "Max" written on it in Sharpie. She'd already wrapped and labeled Ryan and Vanessa's gifts, a set of bread pans and sort of nice wine decanter, respectively, and placing Max's present marked the end of her immediate Christmas duties.

All in all, she was satisfied with her gift purchases. Ryan seemed to enjoy baking his own homemade bread, and Vanessa liked hosting dinner parties and had a taste for red wine. They were both also pretty nice, so even if they _didn't_ like her presents, they'd be polite. Her bigger concern was whether or not Max would like the little skull and crossbones necklace. Of course, she'd probably be really nice about it even if she didn't like it, but Chloe really wanted Max to love it. She'd picked it because it reminded her of their pirate-playing past, and because she liked skulls herself, so she hoped it would come off as a fun little memento of their time together so far. Not that she was planning on going anywhere, but still.

Standing up and stepping back, Chloe took a moment to inspect the tree. She'd always loved Christmas, even after Dad had died and the whole "idyllic family" aspect of the holiday had kind of withered. She loved the snow, she loved the lights, and she loved all the Charles Dickens, Victorian-style stuff. For most of the year she might posture and try to act tough, but Christmas had always felt like a season that she could get away with being actually cheerful without people taking her for a rube.

Max had been really nice about humoring her throughout the whole season, Chloe conceded. She could tell that Max was getting kind of sick of the nonstop Christmas carols on the radio, but the brunette hadn't made a thing out of it. Probably because she saw how much Chloe loved it. Chloe hoped she was at least sort of making up for her manic Christmas cheer with all the cookies she'd been baking.

Over in the den, the Caulfields were watching "A Christmas Story" on TV, laughing at the same jokes Chloe could remember them laughing at five years ago, and for years before that, even. Usually, Chloe was loathe to interrupt their family time, but Max's parents had insisted that she was welcome to join them for traditions and stuff. Given the season, she figured she'd muster up the nerve to venture into the den.

The Caulfields were sitting on the long couch opposite the TV when she walked in, not noticing her at first. Ryan was sitting in one corner of the couch, and one of his arms was draped around Vanessa, who had snuggled up next to him. Both of them looked comfy and happy, and Chloe wondered if that was how she and Max looked when they snuggled. She could only hope so.

Speaking of Max, the brunette was slouched on the sofa at about the middle, resting her feet on the coffee table. She was wearing sweatpants, fuzzy socks, and her gray hoodie on over a T-shirt, looking very relaxed. When she noticed that Chloe was standing in the doorway, Max's face brightened and she waved the taller girl over.

Accepting the invitation, Chloe made her way over to the couch and sat down next to Max. Subtly, the brunette scooted closer to her, and Chloe instinctively put an arm around her. Ryan and Vanessa didn't seem to care, and Max cheerfully snuggled up into Chloe's embrace, placing a kiss on her cheek before settling back down to watch the movie.

It felt kind of weird, if Chloe was being perfectly honest. Not the cuddling with Max part. That was something that was more or less second nature to her at this point. The thing that felt weird was, well, how _not_ weird everything seemed. Just sort of calm and relaxed, with Max's parents seeming to either not notice or not care about the snuggling going on just down the couch from them. The couch, Chloe was quick to remember, that she and Max had banged on at least a dozen times. But here they all were, just watching a dumb Christmas movie and paired off like everything was normal.

She didn't feel like "just a part of the family." Not yet, anyway. Sure, she kind of expected Ryan and Vanessa to be her in-laws one day, but she'd still been thinking of them as kind of authority figures. Maybe not to be actively rebelled against, like Mom or David, but still more as chaperones than friends or surrogate parents, even if she did get along pretty well with them. But sitting there, on the couch with them and Max watching Ralphie try to get that damn BB gun, she felt pretty at ease.

"Well, I think it's time for bed," Ryan announced once the movie was over, standing up from the couch, "For us old people, anyway. I know you two can stay up 'til all hours, but some of us actually need sleep." Vanessa stood as well, and the two started to walk towards the hallway.

"Don't be up too late, though," she added, "Remember, Max, Christmas can't start without you two, so don't sleep too late." With a smile, she left the room with Ryan, and Chloe heard them walk upstairs a moment later.

That left her and Max alone again, snuggled up on the couch while the next film in the station's holiday movie marathon started up. Lazily, Max lifted the remote and hit "mute," silencing the TV and smiling up at Chloe.

"See? Family time isn't so bad," she teased. Chloe smiled back down at her and leaned in for a soft little kiss.

"Okay, I admit, that was sorta nice," Chloe replied, "Do you think that, well, that that will be us one day?" Max looked at her quizzically.

"'One day?'" The brunette repeated, "Chloe, that's us now. We just sat here and watched a movie with my parents. That wasn't a hypothetical." Chloe laughed a little, but tried to give voice to her thoughts.

"Yeah, but, I don't mean us watching movies and stuff with your parents," she explained, "I meant, like, you and me having our own family to do family bonding stuff with." Max got up, smiled at her, and left the room. Chloe wasn't sure what exactly she was up to, but Max returned a moment later with her camera and sat back down.

"Smile!" Max said, holding the camera up in front of them and snapping a picture. When Chloe turned to ask Max where she was going with this, she was startled by the way the brunette was looking at her. Max looked the same, but somehow off, sitting slightly differently and gazing at Chloe with a mixture of excitement, bliss, and adoration.

"Yes, darling," Max whispered, "That will be us one day." Max had never called her that before, Chloe thought. Not that she didn't like it, but it was odd. Glancing over at the Polaroid, her eyes widened as she started to grasp what was going on.

"Did you-" she stammered, trying to formulate a coherent thought, "Are you, um, not my Max?" She kicked herself for that phrasing, and was relieved when the question was met with a look of fond amusement, not hurt.

"I'll always be your Max," Max replied, cupping Chloe's cheek with her hand, "But I know what you mean. And no, I'm not her." Chloe's eyes began to well up with tears, and her face broke into a wide grin.

"I can't tell you any specifics," Future Max went on, "Even this is kind of pushing it. But yes, my darling, my Chloe. If you're wondering whether we'll have our own family one day, the answer is yes." Chloe wiped tears from her eyes as her mind raced with questions. She was almost certain that Future Max wouldn't answer any of them, for fear it would screw up the future. Well, the present, for her. But she still couldn't help but wonder.

"Thank you," she managed to whisper, grinning and sniffling a little, "I just- I'm just glad I don't fuck it all up." Future Max shook her head, smiling.

"I love you, and she loves you," the brunette stated, "And we both know you love us. You're going to be just fine." She began to close her eyes with a serene expression, before snapping them open again.

"Oh, but, um, maybe don't go upstairs for like an hour?" Future Max suggested, glancing up at the ceiling, "Mom and Dad are about to, um, make love, and we hear it from the hallway and end up just lying in bed feeling awkward for a bit. I just figure, uh, you and past me might be feeling romantic and stuff after, well, _this,_ " she gestured to herself, "And I didn't want that to kill the moment." Chloe wiped her eyes again, laughing a little.

"'Make love?'" she repeated, "Glad you never change, Super Max."

"What?" Max asked, looking at her confusedly, "That's what I always, um, call it. And we weren't even talking about that, were we? Are you okay?" She paused for a moment, looking over at the photograph. " _Oh._ " Chloe pulled Max in for a tight embrace and a heated kiss, holding her beloved close.

"So I guess it worked," Max remarked, beaming when Chloe finally released her, "Merry Christmas, I guess."

"Best. Christmas present. Ever," Chloe stated, squeezing Max in another hug.

"I'm glad," Max replied, returning the embrace, albeit more gently, "I hope you'll still like the thing I got you for actual Christmas, though." Chloe laughed quietly and released Max again.

"I'm sure I will," Chloe assured her, "In the meantime, I've got some plans for you." She winked, and Max blushed and smiled.

"Race you upstairs!" the brunette breathed, grinning mischievously. As she stood and began to leave, Chloe hurriedly reached out and grabbed her wrist.

"Trust me," Chloe mumbled once she'd pulled Max back to the couch, "Trust, um, _you_ : Let's just make out down here for a while first."

"Works for me," Max murmured, snuggling up with Chloe and leaning in. Just as they began to kiss, Chloe thought she heard a creak from directly above them. Maybe the living room would be a better idea, she decided.

 **A/N Wishing all my readers a very happy suite of winter holidays! All the support I've been getting from you all over the last two months has meant so much, and I look forward to continuing to write cutesy, fluffy little stories for you all for quite some time to come! Thank you all!**


	41. Christmas Morning

The clock read 7:30 when Max woke up on Christmas morning, and she decided to just rest for a little while longer. Mom and Dad probably wouldn't be up for another hour and a half at least, so there was no point in getting up then just to sit around downstairs waiting for them. Besides, staying in bed meant staying snuggled up next to Chloe, and she was more or less always down for that.

The night before had felt really special. She'd been hoping that taking a picture would let her come back and tell Chloe that yes, they were going to last, and yes, they were going to be a happy family. Or, let future her come back. Which was her, just in like fifteen or twenty years or something. Time was confusing. The point was, when Max came to, Chloe was teary eyed and grinning from ear to ear, and she'd taken that to mean it had worked. Later on, she'd asked what her future self had said, but apparently she'd been pretty vague. Chloe was overjoyed, though, and Max had to admit that the whole thing had put her mind to rest, too.

After that, the night had been pretty magical. She was always happy when she was making love with Chloe, and she assumed Chloe was always in a good mood, too, but that night they had gone at each other more joyfully than usual. It was like their first night, or the night after Max had promised Chloe she'd always love her, or when they'd gone official, but even more so.

It was probably for the best that Future Max hadn't given many details about their life together, but Max kind of wished she'd risked it anyway. Where did they live? What did they do? Did they have any kids? What were their names? Did they have a daughter, or a son, or both? Or maybe even more than that? Were they adopted, or biological? If they were biological, who gave birth to them? How old had Max been when she went back through the photo? Like, was she in her thirties or forties, or was she _old_ old? There were just so many questions, but she supposed she'd have to wait to get any answers.

She propped herself up and looked down at Chloe, who was still sleeping peacefully. It was a sight she was all too happy to get used to, and apparently she'd be seeing it for years to come. Max wondered how long Chloe would have blue hair, and if she'd ever grow it out again. Whatever she ended up doing, Max looked forward to seeing it.

Eventually, Chloe opened her eyes, smiling up at Max. God, Max loved those blue eyes, and how they lit up when they rested on her. The way Chloe looked at her always made her heart flutter, and a sustained gaze was enough to make her melt. The rapture and excitement from last night hadn't quite faded yet, and she leaned down to press a warm and tender to the taller girl's lips.

"Merry Christmas," Max murmured when they finally broke the kiss, keeping her face close.

"It's sure off to a good start," Chloe replied, her words hot against Max's face. They took a moment to just look at each other, pressed close and warm under the covers. Anyone watching would probably think they looked really sappy, Max thought, but that was fine by her. They were teenagers, they were in love, and they were going to enjoy it.

In time, they rose and got dressed. Well, "dressed" in the sense that they pulled on some sweat pants and T-shirts, like Max had suggested the other night, but clothed enough to actually leave the bedroom. The two of them padded down to the living room to wait, and Mom and Dad joined them not long after. The gifts under the tree were mostly from the four of them to one another, since presents from Mom's side of the family were usually exchanged later in the day, when Max saw them.

Mom and Dad had gotten her some camera equipment, a book of music for guitar, and a prepaid Visa gift card, and she was glad that they seemed to like the books she'd gotten for them. More of a relief, though, was that they liked the pans and glass wine thing Chloe had gotten for them. Not that they were likely to kick her out if they'd been less than thrilled with what an aimless nineteen year old had bought them, but Max wanted to ensure that her parents really liked Chloe and wanted her to stick around. In exchange, they'd given Chloe a Visa gift card of her own, although with less money on it than Max's. Still, they didn't _have_ to have gotten her anything, so it was a nice gesture, and Chloe was really gracious.

Max wasn't too surprised when Chloe handed her the little wrapped box, but she was touched all the same. That feeling only grew when she opened it, finding the little pirate necklace Chloe had bought her, enclosed with a little note that read "For my first mate." Picking it up and giving it a closer look, she was hit by memories of running through the woods, of building forts, and of jumping off of couches wearing bandanas and waving cardboard cutlasses. Without much hesitation, she put it on, and Chloe beamed.

"This is for you," Max said as she passed Chloe a wrapped package, "I guess it might seem a little underwhelming now, but I hope you like it anyway." Chloe rolled her eyes at Max's self-deprecating hesitance, but then smiled at her and turned her attention to the present, tearing off the wrapping paper.

"Max, this is so sweet," Chloe breathed, opening the scrapbook Max had made for her, "I didn't think you'd kept any of these photos!" She was quiet as she flipped through the little book, and Max thought she saw tears welling up in Chloe's eyes, although she didn't actually start crying. She did grab Max into a tight hug, though, and Max happily wrapped her own arms around the taller girl.

"Thank you," Chloe whispered, "I love it." They stayed like that for a moment, until Chloe gently pulled away, glancing sheepishly at Mom and Dad. Max's parents had looked away politely when Chloe had started to page through the scrapbook, apparently sensing that she and Max were having a moment, but Max wouldn't have really cared if they _had_ still been paying attention. All that really mattered to her, in that moment, was how moved Chloe looked at their carefully preserved and catalogued memories.


	42. Christmas Evening

**A/N: It's a long one. (By my standards, anyway)**

At some point between opening presents in the morning and Max's relatives showing up in the afternoon, Chloe and Max had gotten dressed in nice clothes. Chloe had just gone with her blue shirt and black tie, mostly because it was all she had, but Max had worn a deep red dress, with a black sash around the waist tied into a bow at her belly button. She looked kind of like a present, Chloe thought. A present she'd love to unwrap…

Not that she could really "unwrap" Max right then, of course. Not with her grandparents and aunt and cousins sitting around the living room with them. She'd have to just settle for holding her hand while they made small talk with Vanessa's family.

In general, Max's relatives were alright, Chloe decided. She definitely noticed that Max's grandparents and her aunt and uncle kept glancing at their interwoven fingers then awkwardly looking away, but there wasn't any sort of confrontation or anything. As for the cousins, they were four and five, and so they didn't really _care_ who Max was dating. It had been kind of funny when the younger one had asked Chloe if she was Max's boyfriend, apparently determining from her clothes and short hair she must be a man. The little girl's mother had hastily explained that no, Chloe was a girl, just like her and Max, but hadn't gone so far as to confirm that the two were a couple. For all she usually wanted anyone and everyone to know she an Max were an item, though, Chloe wasn't too concerned over whether or not two little girls understood the concept.

Just like at Thanksgiving, Max did a good job of filling people in on her time at Blackwell while also managing to gloss over how her photography teacher and the local rich kid turned out to be kidnappers, rapists, and murderers. Vanessa had apparently told them about how her daughter saved a girl, though, so she did have to talk about that, although she didn't go into too much detail on _why_ Kate Marsh needed saving.

For her part, Chloe mostly just stayed quiet. Most of her involvement in Max's Blackwell adventures weren't really ideal topics of conversation: "Yeah, I saved her from getting beat up by the guy who apparently killed my old girlfriend- I was there because I'd been trying to blackmail him after he drugged me and maybe raped me, by the way- then we dicked around in the junk yard until my drug dealer showed up and stole the gun I stole from my step-dad. I helped her break into the school that night, and then I stole a huge wad of cash and we broke into the pool to go swimming. We broke into my drug dealer's RV, then I yelled at her because her parents moved and took her with them, and the next day we found a creepy photography bunker/rape dungeon- oh, and also the corpse of that old girlfriend I was talking about earlier, who was apparently also fucking my drug dealer and maybe also one or both of that kidnap-murder-rape duo I mentioned- before we went back to my house to tip off my step-dad about the whole thing, but apparently the first time around I got killed and Max got kidnapped- did you know she can time travel?- After that we just sat tight until this bigass hurricane hit, and I told her to let me die to save everybody- I thought that would save everybody- and she refused, and we just kind of ran away together, assuming everyone in town was dead. We've pretty much been banging non-stop ever since." That would probably kill the mood in the room, so she just left it at "We started hanging out again when she moved back."

The whole evening went by without incident, really. Ryan had whipped up a pretty great Christmas ham, and the dinner conversation was mostly just more of the same from the living room small talk. Vanessa's parents talked about their trip to Boston as part of a vacation package for seniors, and her sister and brother-in-law talked about their respective jobs. She did something with finance, and he was in management at some kind of restaurant supply company, but Chloe wasn't paying attention too closely.

As it got late, the little girls started to get tired, and Max's aunt and uncle left. Her grandparents stuck around for a little bit longer, chit-chatting with Max and Vanessa. Chloe volunteered to help Ryan with dishes, and so they just hung out in the kitchen with their sleeves rolled up, washing and drying.

"So, enjoy your first Caulfield Christmas?" Ryan asked as he scrubbed at a pan. Chloe liked that he used the word "first," like he assumed she'd be around for more to come. It turned out she was going to be sticking around, but she was glad that he at least seemed on board with that.

"Yeah, it was pretty nice," Chloe replied, "You cooked up a nice Christmas feast. Oh, and thanks again for the gift card!" Ryan smiled and handed her the pan to begin drying.

"Vanessa wanted to get you some sweaters, but I talked her out of it," he remarked, starting to rinse plates, "I figure every nineteen year old likes money, and they sure as hell need it." Couldn't argue with that, Chloe thought.

"It was just Vanessa's parents and sister visiting us," Chloe noted, "Er, you. Do you all ever visit with your side of the family?"

"Oh, I'm an only child," Ryan explained, "My mother passed about ten years ago, and Dad died about a year before we moved up here." Chloe vaguely remembered that happening, but grandparent death wasn't something that tween Max and Chloe had talked a lot about. "After that, well, we didn't have any family in Arcadia Bay anymore, and so there wasn't much keeping us there when I got my job offer up this way." Well, Chloe thought, there was always _her_. Maybe it was a little much to expect someone to pass up a good job in a major city to stay in a backwater town just so their daughter could see her best friend, she admitted, but it would have been nice.

"I'm, uh, sorry for your losses," Chloe mumbled, a little embarrassed to have accidentally brought up the deaths of Ryan's parents. He shook his head and waved it off, though.

"Everyone dies eventually," he said, "They lived long, full lives, and nobody's got all the time in the world. Not even-" He stopped himself and opened the dishwasher, starting to load plates and silverware into it. "The point is, it was just their time." Chloe studied him carefully. He couldn't possibly _know_ could he? Maybe Max had told him about her power, but Chloe figured she would have mentioned it if she had. What was he going to say before he paused?

"That's a pretty good outlook, I guess," Chloe remarked, trying not to let on that she thought anything was odd, "It just… It sucks losing a parent suddenly." Ryan frowned and closed the dishwasher, turning to face her.

"We were so sorry about William," Ryan said quietly, a sympathetic look on his face, "I can't imagine how hard that must have been for you. And us taking your best friend away can only have made it that much worse." He wasn't wrong, that was for sure. But having him _acknowledge_ her pain and his part in it, even if he hadn't meant to do any harm, meant a lot for her. They stood there in silence for a moment, just kind of looking at their feet.

"It was pretty bad," Chloe conceded, "But it happened, and the past is the past. Can't change it." Her tone was a bit more pointed than she'd intended, almost as if she were trying to convince herself of that as much as reassure him. Ryan looked at her carefully, studying her face just like she'd studied him a few minutes before.

"Chloe," Ryan addressed her, looking her in the eye, "Do you know? About Max?" Chloe glanced around, ensuring they were alone, and looked back at him.

"Yes."

"Do you know how long it's been going on?" Ryan asked, his voice calm and his posture relaxed.

"Since early October," Chloe stated, keeping her voice down. She wasn't sure how big a secret this whole thing was, but she didn't want to be the one to spill the beans if anyone wasn't supposed to know.

"A little after she turned eighteen," Ryan noted, looking a little thoughtful, "That sounds about right. When did you find out?"

"Same day," Chloe replied, "She says the first time she did it was to, uh, save me." Ryan raised his eyebrows, but smiled.

"Heh. Better use than I first put it to," he said, "Spare me the details of what kind of mischief you two have been getting into. I can tell _something_ happened back in Arcadia Bay before the storm hit, and I have a feeling I don't want to know more than that."

"Who else knows?" Chloe asked.

"Well, Vanessa knows about me and my dad, and I told her it would probably be the same for Max," Ryan explained, "Beyond that, nobody that I know of. I'll talk with her about it before you two go back to Arcadia Bay, just to bring her in on the family secret and such."

"How did it happen, though?" Chloe went on, "Like, this is huge. Is it _just_ your family, or are there others? Is it magic, or physics, or what?" Ryan shook his head and shrugged.

"I really don't have many answers," Ryan admitted, "It's been going on at least since my grandmother, but I'd guess it started well before that. I don't know how, and I don't know why. If she wants to try to figure it all out, she's welcome to, but I'm fine with not knowing." Out in the living room, Vanessa called for them, and they dried off their hands and started out of the kitchen.

"Don't tell Max I know," Ryan said quietly as they walked down the hallway, "I want to surprise her." Chloe nodded. That was a secret she was alright with.

Max's grandparents were leaving, and so Max, Ryan, and Vanessa saw them to the door, with Chloe in tow. Once they'd pulled out of the driveway and rounded the corner, Vanessa shut the door and Chloe and the Caulfields went back to the living room, slumping down on the couches. The rest of the night was laid back, with the four of them just chatting and relaxing. Not long after Max's grandparents left, her parents announced they were going to bed, and Ryan gave Chloe a slight nod as he and Vanessa walked to the foyer.

That left Chloe and Max alone, for the first time since they'd woken up. Chloe had gotten more or less comfortable with Ryan and Vanessa, but being around other adults kind of put her on edge. Granted, she and Max were both technically adults, but there were legal abstracts and then there were people in their thirties and forties or more, with jobs and houses and crap. Being alone with Max, though, Chloe felt completely at ease.

"It was really cute when Samantha said she liked your hair," Max remarked, snuggling up next to Chloe as they lounged on the couch, "I don't think she quite understands that it isn't naturally that color." Chloe smiled to herself, remembering when the four year old had made the comment. She had proven to be something of a curiosity to the two little girls, who were both full of questions. "Why is your hair blue?" "Why are you dressed like a boy?" "Are you and Cousin Max married?" "Is that why you're holding hands?" In all honesty, it had been kind of funny.

"Yeah, my very presence may have been putting ideas in their heads," Chloe replied, chuckling, "I they suddenly start cutting their hair with safety scissors and dunking their heads in paint, you'll know where they came up with that." She put her arm around Max, holding the brunette close and reaching up to stroke her hair.

"Which is funny, considering you had long blonde hair when you were their age," Max pointed out, amusement in her voice, "Maybe it's slow acting. We'll be thirty five or something, and Kaitlin will have short green hair and a leather jacket at Christmas." Chloe snorted, picturing the five year old dressed up in punk style. The two of them continued to chat, joke, and snuggle for a little while, just decompressing from the afternoon. Eventually, they got up, locked the doors, turned out the lights, and started up the stairs.

Max just looked so beautiful, Chloe thought as they climbed to the second floor. She loved the way the smaller girl walked, and how the fabric of her dress swished around as her hips swayed. She still loved that sash, too, and she was eager to get to their room- er, Max's room- no, their room, to untie it.

"So, what's the verdict?" Chloe asked quietly once they were inside the bedroom with the door shut, "Will your relatives accept me?" Max giggled and rolled her eyes, taking Chloe by the hand and leading her to bed.

"I don't really care," the brunette declared, a smile visible on her pale face in the unlit room. She sat down on the side of the bed and clicked on her reading lamp, bathing herself and the alcove her bed sat in in soft yellow light. "But yeah, I think they won't mind if you stick around." She leaned back onto her elbows, smiling up at Chloe with an alluring look in her eyes.

"Well, that's a relief," Chloe noted, making an exaggerated motion as if wiping sweat from her brow, "It's a Christmas miracle!"

"Speaking of Christmas," Max murmured, fixing Chloe with that yearning, loving gaze, "You've still got one last present to open…" She winked and tugged at her sash a little. Not needing any more encouragement, Chloe crouched and tugged at the loose ends of the bow.

"Ooh, so exciting!" She whispered cheerfully, pulling the knot undone, "I wonder what it could be!" She gave Max a playful smile as she leaned up over the smaller girl and reached behind her to undo the zipper on her dress.

"Well, I hope you'll like it," Max breathed, craning her neck up to steal a kiss as she began to shrug out of her dress. Once her shoulders were free, Chloe helped her wriggle out of the dress, letting it drop to the floor as Max grabbed her tie and pulled her up onto the bed.

"Looks good to me," Chloe murmured, looking Max up and down, "You knew just what I wanted!"


	43. New Year's

The days after Christmas kind of just melded together for Max. Really, the whole month of December had been more or less one long blur for her, since she had no places to be or things to do, but that little window between Christmas and New Year's was doubly hazy. Mom and Dad had gone back into work in the interim, and so it was just her and Chloe again, free to wander around town and fool around at home as much as they wanted.

She wasn't sure what, but Max could tell that there had been something on Chloe's mind since Christmas. The taller girl wasn't distant, exactly. Far from it. They still cuddled, kissed, and made love like always, and if anything Chloe was being even sweeter than usual. But still, something had subtly changed, and just a bit more of Chloe's lingering tension seemed to have disappeared.

Maybe it had been something Dad had said to her on Christmas? He and Chloe had gone to wash dishes while Max and Mom had stayed in the living room with Grandma and Grandpa, and presumably they hadn't passed the time in contemplative silence. Max had been nervous that Dad was going to do something embarrassing, like turn on Chloe and pretend to be some overly protective father, threatening his daughter's beau. It would have been a joke, of course, but Chloe might not have entirely grasped that. Dad thought it was _hilarious_ to be a parody of machismo, but Max had had to apologize to more than one group-project partner for that sort of thing.

That didn't seem to be it, but there was definitely _something_ that had gone on between them on Christmas. When Dad and Chloe were in the same room, they would trade glances and subtle nods, probably thinking Max didn't notice. Had Dad told Chloe she was always welcome in their home or something like that? Max didn't like secrets, at least secrets that she or Chloe kept from each other, but she didn't want to push for answers. It wasn't pushing them apart, and so she could live with not knowing.

"It's New Year's Eve," Chloe remarked, coming up behind Max and wrapping her arms around the shorter girl's waist, "Ready for 2014?" Max smiled as Chloe held her close, setting aside her speculation on what exactly had gone on at Christmas.

"Definitely," Max replied, resting back against Chloe and closing her eyes, "2013 had a bit too much kidnapping and murder for me…"

"C'mon," Chloe pressed, her voice teasing, "It can't have been _all_ bad."

"Well, I did start seeing someone," Max noted, nuzzling against the crook of Chloe's neck, "She's a little foul-mouthed, and a little rough around the edges, but she's actually really sweet."

"What a coincidence!" Chloe said, "I started seeing someone this year, too! She's kind of a dork, but she's, like, the bravest, kindest person I know."

"Wow, I should meet her," Max remarked, amused at their banter, "I'll bet she's really cool and talented." Chloe snickered, but gently tightened her grip.

"Oh, she is," Chloe assured her, "And she's a total cutie. I'll bet the girl you're dating is a badass, though. She probably has a rockin' bod, too."

"Oh yes, she's beautiful," Max agreed, pulling away from Chloe just enough to turn around and face her before pressing close again, "She's got stunning blue eyes, and that slender figure I like, and just the right level of butch." She winked up at Chloe and stood on her tiptoes to steal a quick kiss. "How about your girl? You said she was cute."

"Oh, God, _such_ a cutie!" Chloe reiterated, grinning down at Max, "She's got the most adorable little smile, and I could kiss her freckles all day long."

"Hm, better get on that, then," Max suggested, closing her eyes and keeping her face tilted up at Chloe. She began to sigh happily as she felt Chloe's lips lightly press against her face, leaving a trail of kisses along her constellations of freckles. Chloe was so cute when she teased, Max thought, and teasing her back was a lot of fun. She wondered if they still played little games like that in the future. She sure hoped they would.

After a few more minutes of cuddling and kissing, Max heard a car pulling up to the garage, and she pulled away from Chloe, taking her hand and leading her hastily up the stairs and to her room. It wasn't like Mom and Dad didn't already know she and Chloe were together. On the first day she'd been back home, they had told her pretty much "Yeah, that's fine, just don't be so damn loud during sex. Kthxbye." Nevertheless, she wasn't quite ready for them to walk in on her and Chloe, even if it was just while they were being cutesy, not even full-on making out.

They didn't have any big New Year's plans, really. Mom and Dad always had a bottle of grocery store champagne, with sparkling grape juice for Max, and there were party hats and those little party noisemakers, but it had always been a family night in sort of holiday for them. Christmas, Thanksgiving, and Easter were the big holidays for Max's family, although they did usually have a cake or go out for dinner on her or Mom's birthday. Dad didn't really seem to care much about his own birthday, or really any sort of "on this day" commemorations. If he remembered him and Mom's anniversary, he'd never mentioned it to her.

Max hoped New Year's at her house wasn't going to be too boring for Chloe. She'd had the same fears about Halloween, and that had turned out fine, but Max's fears weren't always rational. The blue haired girl had actually seemed to enjoy the mellow family time on Christmas Eve, Max remembered, so maybe she'd be just as happy about staying in at New Year's, too. Mom and Dad might even let them have a little bit of the champagne, Max thought. One of those normal bottles split four ways probably couldn't be that much for each person.

They stayed up in Max's room for a little while, continuing to cuddle and tease, until both Mom and Dad were home. Mom had picked up some Middle Eastern takeout on the way home, and so they had shawarma and falafel for dinner. After that, they sat around in the den for a while. Mom and Dad asked each other about their respective days, and then posed the same question to Max and Chloe. To Max, spending every day just killing time with Chloe was like a dream, but she had to admit that there wasn't really much to actually _tell_ , unless Mom and Dad were eager to know how she and Chloe had messed around, how often, and in which rooms. Even if they were, Max sure as hell wasn't telling them, so she just left it at "Oh, it was fine. We slept in and then went for a walk, then we watched a movie."

As it got later, they all watched the Time Square countdown on TV. Of course, that was three hours ahead of their time, but it was still just kind of what you did on New Year's if you weren't at a party or anything. To kill some time waiting for midnight, they played a few games of "Settlers of Catan." Max enjoyed the game, but she found herself worrying again about what Chloe would think. The taller girl seemed to be having a nice enough time, though, so Max just tried to take a deep breath and have fun trading resources.

At about half past eleven, Mom and Dad went to the kitchen, returning with a bottle of "Barefoot Bubbly," a bottle of sparkling grape juice for Max and Chloe, and four glasses. The drinks were poured and handed out, and the four of them sat down on the couches of the den, checking the clock and chatting while they waited for midnight to come. Mom and Dad were sitting over on the couch by the wall, and Dad had his arm around Mom's waist, holding her close. Without really thinking about it too hard, Max snuggled up next to Chloe on the couch across from the TV. Chloe put an arm around her waist as she shifted around to find her comfy spot, and Max noticed that they were sitting a lot like Mom and Dad. She wasn't sure if that was unsettling or comforting.

The last year hadn't actually been that momentous, Max thought as she looked back. Up until October, it had been pretty normal. She'd finished Junior Year, and gotten into Blackwell, which was pretty cool. But it hadn't been until she'd seen Nathan and Chloe in the bathroom that the real rollercoaster had started. That week in early autumn had been just wild, hitting some pretty extreme emotional highs and lows. After that had been the two weeks or so of just wandering around the Northwest, and then she'd come home, and things had just been pretty laid back after that. The little bit of drama Max had been fearing, that Mom and Dad wouldn't be too keen on her dating Chloe, hadn't happened, and the rest of the year had just been a blur of homework, cuddling, lovemaking, and being mushy.

Max looked up at the girl she was resting against, that girl she loved so much. Somehow, over the course of a few months, they'd gone from estranged to inseparable, and Max loved it. For that alone, even without any of the other stuff like getting accepted into Blackwell or being a hero, Max figured that the year was definitely a net positive.

"Okay, it's just about time!" Mom announced, holding up her wrist to keep a close eye on her watch, "Ten. Nine. Eight." Max sat up some and turned to get a better look at Chloe. She really was beautiful, Max thought to herself.

"Seven. Six. Five." Chloe downed the last of her sparkling grape juice and turned towards Max, smiling and looking hopeful.

"Four." Max was pretty sure she knew what it was Chloe was hoping for. But Mom and Dad were right there…

"Three." They already knew, though. It wasn't like she had anything to hide or be embarrassed about.

"Two." She set down her glass and reached out to Chloe, taking the taller girl's face between her hands and starting to lean in.

"One!" Their lips met, both still tasting slightly of grapes and sugar. Max didn't bother to look to see if Mom and Dad were watching them, or if they were just ignoring them and kissing each other. She didn't really care all that much, she decided. She would kiss Chloe if she wanted.

"I love you," Max murmured when they finally broke the kiss, smiling at her Chloe, "Happy New Year."

 **A/N: And a happy New Year to all of you, as well!**


	44. Promise

Waking up next to Max was, to Chloe, the best imaginable start to a new year. Chloe didn't really buy into superstitious stuff, but she really hoped that this set the tone for the rest of the year. Or maybe even for the rest of her life.

It was kind of crazy how much could change in a year. Last year, Chloe had woken up hungover at one in the afternoon on New Year's Day, with a pounding headache and a phone screen filled with unanswered texts to Rachel. She'd told Mom and David she was going out, then just kind of dicked around at the usual dives and friends of friends' basements. Looking back, she wasn't sure if Rachel and Frank had already been a thing at that point, but she guessed it didn't really matter anymore.

It wasn't like she'd totally moved on and forgotten Rachel, of course. Whatever else had happened in those last few months before Rachel had disappeared- well, died- she had been Chloe's best friend for years. Had things gone differently, maybe things wouldn't have gotten so dramatic between them. If she was being completely honest, Chloe did have to admit that it had been her, not Rachel, who kept trying to push things beyond friendship. She'd been the one, one stoned night, who suggested they make out. She'd been the one who said "I love you," even when Rachel wouldn't say it back. Rachel had been pretty upfront about how she enjoyed making out and banging with Chloe, but that it could never be "something real," whatever that meant. It had all felt pretty real to Chloe.

The sex had been pretty amazing, though. Not better than with Max, not exactly worse, either. Just different. With Max, it seemed like sex and love were the same thing, like every kiss and caress was full of emotional weight. Maybe that was why she liked to call banging "making love." Rachel, on the other hand, had been more of an animal in bed. Or, more often, in the back of Chloe's truck or in their junkyard hideout. With her, sex had been more wild and adventurous, but when they were done, they were _done_. No cuddling, no holding hands, no pillow-talk, just buttoning her jeans back up and hastily fixing her hair.

Chloe looked down at the little brunette snuggled up in her arms. Maybe if Max had never left, she and Chloe would have gotten together sooner, and she and Rachel would have stayed just friends. Or maybe they wouldn't have. Chloe couldn't really know. What she did know was that she was in love with Max, who was actually in love with her right back, and that that was just the most amazing thing. She could try to show Max how to be a little rougher and wilder in bed sometimes, but even if not, she was happy.

"Max," Chloe murmured, leaning down to kiss the smaller girl on the forehead, "Are you awake yet?" She was getting kind of impatient to talk to her beloved. "Talk." More like talk, flirt, kiss, then end up fooling around with. But still.

"Mmm… Well, I am now," Max replied groggily, smiling up at Chloe with sleepy eyes. First-Thing-In-The-Morning Max always had a way of making Chloe's heart melt, and she fondly stroked the shorter girl's brown hair.

"So, are there, like, traditional things you do on New Year's Day?" Chloe asked. Max shrugged and stretched, reaching for her phone and checking her messages.

"Looks like Mom and Dad went out for brunch without us," she noted, reading their texts, "Mom says she 'didn't want to disturb' us. God, it's weird to have your parents know you're sleeping with someone, and also be cool with it! Like, really convenient, but so _weird_!" Chloe had mostly just been relieved from day one how cool Ryan and Vanessa were being about the whole thing, but she did have to admit that it was a little surreal. Like, they probably tried not to think too hard about what she and Max were actually _doing_ most nights, but still, they had to be aware on an abstract level that this girl they'd known since she was in preschool was getting their daughter off down the hall. Did they look over at her at the dinner table and ever think "Yup, Max has seen that girl's pubes" to themselves? Hopefully not.

"Beats having to be sneaky," Chloe pointed out. Max shrugged and nodded.

"True," she replied, "I'm glad I don't have to hide that I love you." She said it so casually, but Chloe felt like her heart would burst at how happy that statement made her. The way Max had kissed her at midnight stuck out in her mind as yet another barrier they'd gotten past, Max feeling comfortable enough and happy enough to go ahead and kiss- and not just peck, but full on _kiss_ \- her in front of Ryan and Vanessa. Chloe wasn't really much an exhibitionist, but she did love how Max acted like loving her was the most natural and normal thing in the world.

"So, we've got the house to ourselves, then," Chloe noted, smiling cheekily. Max raised her eyebrows by smiled as well, climbing up so that she was straddling Chloe and folding her arms on the taller girl's chest.

"Yes," Max confirmed, "We _do_ have the house to ourselves. Why, are you feeling loud?" She gave a wink.

"I figure that will set a nice tone for the rest of the year," Chloe suggested, leaning up to give Max eskimo kisses.

"Probably," Max agreed, tilting her head to catch Chloe's lips, and kissing her softly, "I mean, my life's been way better ever since we started making love. I guess the principle will probably carry over to the year, too." Chloe grinned and went in for another kiss, holding Max close before sliding her hands down to the shorter girl's hips.

"This moment is just perfect," Chloe murmured between kisses, "I wish I didn't have to live it only once…"

"Don't worry," Max whispered back, starting to kiss down Chloe's neck, "I plan to do this a _lot_ in 2014."

"Mmm, promise?" Chloe asked as Max buried her face in the crook of the taller girl's neck.

"Promise," came the muffled replied.


	45. The Talk

New Year's had been nice, but it had also kind of marked an end to the lazy, listless couple of months Max had been sharing with Chloe. They still had like a week and a half together before classes started up again, but that meant there was a countdown. It wasn't like they were never going to see each other again after that point or anything like that. Honestly, they were probably going to still spend a significant chunk of their spare time with one another. But going back at Blackwell still meant spending their nights apart, at least some of the time, and it meant Max was going to be in class a lot of the day. Obviously, it wasn't like they could spend every waking moment together for the rest of their lives. Max had always known that. But adjusting to having to see each other as often as a normal couple after what amounted to a three month honeymoon was going to be, well, an adjustment.

Classes were going to be starting up again the second Monday of January, but Chloe wanted to leave for Arcadia Bay like a week before that. Max could definitely understand why. Just sitting around the house all day, being all mushy and lovey-dovey, had been pretty wonderful, but Max had loved the road trip she and Chloe had taken up to Seattle. Imminent coursework wasn't super appealing to her, but the drive down with Chloe, just the two of them, was going to be a treat.

It sounded terrible, but Max was kind of excited about getting away from her parents, too. It wasn't bad, being home with them. After the craziness at Blackwell, the comfort and security of seeing Mom and Dad every day had been welcome. But the longer she was back home, the more she realized how much she had enjoyed the relative independence of Blackwell. It was an independence that came with curfews, bathrooms maintained by cleaning staff, and a meal plan, granted, but it had still kind of felt like an intermediary step between childhood and adulthood.

Oh shit, was she an adult now?! She _was_ eighteen, but Max sure as hell didn't feel like an adult. In less than six months, she'd have to figure out how she was going to support herself, and maybe Chloe, if her beloved rebel couldn't reconcile herself with authority enough to be employed. Max wasn't sure whether she wanted to go to college, so she'd been planning on taking a gap-year, but dating Chloe kind of complicated things. If they wanted to stick together after Blackwell, either she'd have to stay in Arcadia Bay, Chloe would have to come to Seattle, or they'd both have to go someplace else. Neither of them were particularly marketable employees, she had to admit, so a shitty studio apartment might be in their future.

"Max," Dad called, walking into the den where she and Chloe were reading together on the couch, "Oh, hello, Chloe. Max, do you have a few minutes?" He shot Chloe another one of those looks they'd been sharing lately, and she immediately loosened her arm from around Max. Something had to be up, right?"

"Um, yeah, I guess," Max replied, closing her book and setting it down, "Do you need help with something?" Dad shook his head.

"Not exactly," he said, "I just want to talk to you about something before you leave for Arcadia Bay in a few days." He didn't sound _worried_ , exactly, but this was definitely something more than just reminding Max to pack her toothbrush or something. He sat down on the couch along the wall and turned towards Max and Chloe.

"I'm, uh, gonna go check on some stuff," Chloe mumbled, getting up hastily and walking towards the hallway, "I'll see you in a bit, okay?"

"Okay," Max responded, a little confused and cautious. Chloe and Dad were obviously knew something she didn't. But maybe she was about to be let in on it.

"So, uh, what did you want to talk about?" Max asked, turning back to Dad and sitting up a bit. When she and Chloe snuggled, she tended to lean against the taller girl.

"Well, it's tricky," Dad started, leaning forward and resting his elbows on his knees, "Hard to really explain. But I guess the biggest shock has already come and gone for you." Max narrowed her eyes a little. What kind of a shock? Was he talking about the stuff with Mr. Jefferson and Nathan? It couldn't possibly be her power, could it?

"For at least four generations now, our family has had a… quirk," he went on, "Something different about us, that's been setting in late in adolescence." Seriously, there was no way, right?

"We can travel through time," Dad declared. There it was. Out in the open. He knew about Max's power, which, as it turned out, might be _his_ power, too. "Not like back to Agincourt or anything. Just between points in our own lives."

"I know," Max mumbled, "I mean, I knew that _I_ could. I had no idea about you, or Papa." Oddly enough, knowing that Dad had the same power, or something like it, made the whole thing feel even crazier. Before, it had just been something unique to Max, an aberration that she could compartmentalize and ignore, if she'd wanted, and nobody would be the wiser. But now that she knew there were others, it made her wonder what more there might be to her powers.

"I, uh, asked Chloe, actually," Dad admitted, glancing away, "If she knew. She told me that you think it started in early October?" So _that_ was what they had talked about on Christmas. A little heavy, but at least it wasn't anything bad, exactly.

"I asked her not to tell you that I knew," he went on hurriedly, "I don't want you to think that she was just keeping secrets from you for no reason. I mean, assuming that she _didn't_ tell you that I knew." Max shook her head.

"I could tell something was up with her and you," Max noted, "But no, she didn't tell me anything. But why didn't _you?_ " The initial shock was starting to dissipate, and Max was starting to feel a little frustrated. All the confusion and fear back in October, all the tearing herself up because she was convinced she'd killed everyone in Arcadia Bay, so much of that could have been avoided if she had known what was happening to her!

"I was going to tell you on your eighteenth birthday," Dad explained, looking apologetic, "That was around the time it set in for me, and for my dad. But you were away at Blackwell, and I figured you probably had enough on your mind, with a new school and all. Then that storm happened, and I didn't want you to get hurt trying to stop it. I know you, Max, and I know you'd want to help people. I wasn't going to risk that." Well _that_ didn't fricken' work, Max thought to herself bitterly.

"My new plan had been to tell you the morning after you got home," he continued, "But, uh, you'll remember how that morning went." Max's face went pink remembering the awkward conversation with Mom and Dad the day after she and Chloe had gotten to Seattle. She probably wouldn't have been too excited to sit down for a talk just then, either. "After that, I wanted to just let you relax and settle back in. Then things just kind of got lost in daily routine. I figured there wasn't any rush to tell you you could rewind time, until I started to suspect you already knew. Then I got Chloe to confirm it for me on Christmas." Well, that was a surprise.

"How did you know to ask her?" Max wondered aloud. Chloe wouldn't just go blabbing Max's secrets, she thought. Definitely not to anyone she thought of as an authority figure.

"As in, how did I figure out you'd already discovered your power?" Dad asked, "Or how did I know to ask Chloe?" Max shrugged.

"Both, I guess."

"Well, it started on the day you got back," Dad explained, "You were getting paler and paler in the kitchen, and you had a little nosebleed. That wasn't definite proof, but it kind of stuck out to me in hindsight. But there was also something different about you when you got back from Arcadia Bay. I mean, aside from the whole Chloe business." He motioned in the direction Chloe had gone. "It's subtle, but I can tell you're more confident now, more secure and self-assured." He smiled again, beaming at his daughter. "Of course, that could have been for other reasons, but it was another clue that something big had happened."

"As for why I thought to ask Chloe," he went on, "Well, a couple of reasons. For one thing, _I_ almost let it slip that Papa and I had the power, and she seemed to notice. More than anyone who didn't know what to look for could. Aside from that, she's Chloe. You and her have always been best friends, and now you're dating. I figured if anyone knew, it was her." That made sense, Max thought. Plus, she was pretty relieved that Dad had been the one who brought it up first, and not Chloe.

"So, what now?" Max asked, leaning back against the couch. Dad shrugged and smiled.

"Well, now I get to explain to you what I know about the power," he stated, "What little I do know, anyway. I assume you can rewind. But do you know you can go further back than that?" Max nodded.

"Yeah," she replied, still a little dumbfounded by all of this, "I, um, I can only do it through photographs, though." Dad raised his eyebrows and chuckled a little.

"Well, that shouldn't surprise me," he remarked, "It's music, for me. I have to focus on whatever song I was hearing at the point I want to go back to. My dad kept a little pocket notebook full of dates and times he wanted to revisit, but I don't know what my grandmother used as an anchor. For all I know, she couldn't actually do more than rewind, but that seems unlikely, knowing her."

"Are there other things?" Max pressed, "When I stopped Kate Marsh from jumping, I froze time somehow."

"That's a new one," Dad noted, looking genuinely surprised, "You must have had a hell of a time keeping that going." Max remembered her skull feeling like it was going to burst at the time, and winced a little.

"Well, it wasn't pleasant, I'll say that much," she muttered.

"Besides that, that's all we really know at this point," Dad stated, sitting back against his couch, "Obviously, going back in time to change something can have huge consequences. The further back, the more dramatically things are likely to have changed back where you started from. If you want my advice, I'd say don't try to change the past. Rewinding to change something you just did is one thing, but our pasts are what define who we are. Try to only go back to a moment you'd like to live again, just the same way you did the first time, and you'll be fine, I think."

They spent an hour or so talking about Max's power. To Max's relief, Dad confirmed that the storm was probably unrelated to her traveling through time. He'd never heard of anything like that happening, anyway. He told her a few anecdotes about his own experiences with rewinding and jumping back in time, and she told him about some of her tamer adventures with time. Still nothing about Mr. Jefferson or Nathan, but she did talk about helping Chloe on the train tracks, and about saving William.

"Oh, God, Max, that must have been hard," Dad had breathed as she told him how she went back the second time to undo her first trip, "I'm sorry I didn't tell you about all this sooner. Really, I didn't think you'd figure it out all on your own."

"I probably wouldn't have," Max conceded, "But I saw Chloe in danger, and it just sort of happened." Dad smiled, a twinkle in his eye.

"She must be one hell of a girl, then," he had replied. After that, the conversation wound down.

"You're always welcome to come to me about any of this," Dad assured her as they both got up to leave the room, "I always have time for you." With a wink, he pulled his daughter into a tight hug, holding her there for a few seconds before releasing her and heading off to the kitchen. Left on her own once more, Max scampered into the hall to find Chloe.

After she'd searched the first floor, Max eventually found Chloe up in her room, reading her book and sitting on the corner on Max's bed where it fit into a corner. When Max stepped in and closed the door, the taller girl looked up, hesitation and a little fear on her face. She must have known that that conversation had been coming, Max thought to herself as she went to sit down on the bed as well.

"So, Dad and I just had a long talk," Max stated, scooting over to be closer to Chloe, "Apparently my power is a family thing or something."

"Oh?" Chloe asked, trying to look surprised. Trying, and failing.

"He also told me that he'd talked to you about it at Christmas," Max added, turning to face the taller girl. Chloe looked away sheepishly.

"He, uh, he asked me not to tell you," she stammered, "And he was the one who brought it up first. I didn't tell him until I knew he knew." There was genuine fear in her eyes, Max noticed. Upon a moment's consideration, she could see why. Even though Chloe understood on a conscious level that Max was pretty open with Mom and Dad about most stuff, she still probably thought of parents as "People you don't tell secrets to." Certainly if her level of communication with Joyce was any indication.

"It's fine," Max assured her, putting both arms around the taller girl and holding her close, "Honestly, I'm impressed you managed to keep him knowing a secret!" Chloe smiled a little, looking relieved, and putting her arms around Max.

"So, did he have any big insights to offer?" Chloe asked after a moment. She and Max released one another, settling into a more relaxed position as they snuggled.

"Nothing I didn't know already," Max replied, shrugging, "In fact, it looks like I have a trick _he_ doesn't know! Other than that, his main suggestion was not to change anything big, just relive happy moments over again."

"Like that time in the woods where we got fake married?" Chloe murmured, nuzzling her cheek against Max's forehead.

"Yeah," Max whispered, smiling and settling in against her Chloe, "Like that."


	46. Plans

Chloe scrolled through the "Best Oregon Bed and Breakfasts" page, comparing the location of each entry to Google Maps. The trip up to Seattle from Arcadia Bay had been a lot of fun, staying in motels and shit. But it had also been pretty improvised, and she and Max had more or less just kind of picked whichever motel they happened to see first when they were ready for bed. Luckily there hadn't been any problems, like bedbugs or something, but they'd still been a little hit and miss. The Holiday Inn with the pool and hot tub had been the best one, and the place they'd stayed the first night seemed like the worst. Then again, that may have just been because of her mood at the time.

There was time to plan for the trip back, though, and so Chloe had decided she'd come up with some ideas. Planning hadn't been her strong suit the last couple of years, but she wanted to make the last few days before real life set back in as special as she could for Max. Naturally, they couldn't stay in five star hotels and resorts or anything, but they could maybe find some nice little B&Bs. Unfolding the map that Max had grabbed at the diner back in October, Chloe marked the locations of the most promising places.

"Max, come take a look at this," Chloe called as the brunette stepped into the bedroom. Obeying, Max came over to where Chloe sat at the desk and glanced between the map and the computer screen.

"How are the plans going?" Max asked, leaning in to take a closer look.

"Well, I've got a few ideas," Chloe explained, smoothing out the map, "Now, it's not actually a long trip from Seattle to Arcadia Bay. Like, according to Google Maps, it's a little less than seven hours, if we took major highways and just drove straight there."

"But where's the fun in that?" Max wondered aloud, moving over to drape herself over Chloe's shoulders.

"Exactly," the taller girl agreed, "I'd rather take the scenic route. That way, we get to spend more time together before, well, before you have to actually _do_ shit." Max sighed, apparently none too eager to return to school life.

"It won't be too bad," Max assured, her voice more confident sounding than her sigh had been, "I mean, I spent plenty of nights in my room just watching movies and playing WoW. We'll find plenty of time to be together." Chloe smiled and nuzzled Max a little.

"I don't wanna be a distraction," she mumbled, "I mean, I want to spend as much time with you as I possibly can. But at the same time, I don't want you to blow off school stuff or your friends. I don't want you to throw away your future or anything just because I'm clingy." Max squeezed her a little, then released her, turning the swivel chair away from the desk. Kneeling down in front of Chloe, Max reached up and gently took the taller girl's face between her hands, in that way she did before saying something deep or sweet.

"You're my number one priority, Chloe," Max whispered, smiling up at the blue haired girl, "You _are_ my future, as far as I'm concerned. But you don't have to worry about me; I can handle school _and_ you at the same time." Chloe smiled, satisfied for the time being. She really did want to spend as much time with Max as she could, of course, but she also didn't want to ruin things. Back in October, she _had_ been pretty clingy and imposing, and because of that Kate Marsh had almost died because Max couldn't answer her call without Chloe having a fit. Part of it had been how stressed out and on edge she was, looking for Rachel and still processing the shit with Nathan and everything, but the last thing Chloe wanted was to fall back into the habit of demanding all of Max's time and attention. That couldn't be healthy, right?

"Thanks," Chloe replied quietly. Max stood and walked over to her bed, flopping down onto it and lying on her back. Setting down her pencil, Chloe followed, and Max eagerly snuggled up next to her when she lay down.

"We should plan, like, a regular date night, though," Max remarked as they lay there, "It doesn't have to be anything big or anything. Just one night a week where, no matter what else we've got going on, we make sure to hang out."

"Sounds good," Chloe said, "Maybe we can finally perfect 'Netflix and Chill.'" Usually she was pretty spontaneous, but having a night with Max every week, marked on the calendar and everything, would be something she could look forward to whenever things felt shitty.

"Oh, we'll be experts by the time I graduate," Max joked, "We're gonna be good at _all_ the dating things. 'Netflix and Chill,' playing footsie…"

"Snuggling in public," Chloe continued, "Makin' out in the back of movies."

"Sitting next to each other in booths," Max added, "Posting cutesy couple's pictures to Facebook and Instagram."

"Yeah," Chloe murmured, nuzzling against Max and holding the smaller girl tight, "Stuff like that."


	47. Taking Care

"So, run me through it again," Mom said, sitting across the dining room table.

"We're gonna leave on Monday," Max stated, "Probably around like ten. We're going to take kind of a wind-y path down to Arcadia Bay. We're planning to spend a day in Portland, and do some winter hikes in some of the state and national parks we're gonna be passing through on our way down."

"Arcadia Bay is just under seven hours away, though!" Mom insisted, "Why not just leave early next Sunday? You'd get back to Blackwell with plenty of time to settle back in that evening, and be ready for classes in the morning." Max swallowed a sigh. Mom didn't know all the danger Max had been in back in Arcadia Bay. At least, Max hoped she didn't. But still, she knew that her daughter had been hundreds of miles away from her when a hurricane hit, and apparently that was enough that she wasn't too excited to see Max go again.

"We just kind of want to spend some time together, just the two of us," Max explained. That was true, if a bit vague.

"But you have all day, every day, to be alone," Mom insisted, "It's not as if Portland or the nature preserves are going anywhere." Max couldn't explain the intricacies of her reasoning to Mom. Frankly, she wasn't really sure she could put it into words for anyone.

When she was at Blackwell, Max hadn't really felt independent, exactly, but she'd kind of felt like an adult. Being back at home made her feel like a child again, though, and not in a good way. Granted, she and Chloe were doing decidedly un-childlike things together, but she was still acutely aware of being in a place that, to her, was very much a space from her youth. Not that she was out of her youth, really, but still.

"And it would take more than the week we have to see all of Portland," Max countered, "Or all the parks in Washington and Oregon. We're not doing anything dangerous, just a road trip." Mom sighed.

"Are you _sure_ your father and I can't drive you down ourselves?" she asked.

"Yeah, I'm sure," Max replied, "I mean, I don't have much to move down there, just the one bag. Plus, I don't want you and Dad to have to take any time off of work or anything just to drive me back." Shrugging, Mom sat back in her chair, seemingly resigned to Max's plan.

"I guess you made it up here just fine," she conceded, still sounding slightly ambivalent, "Just be careful when driving in the snow."

"Don't worry, I'm a hella safe driver," Chloe assured, stepping into the room with a bag of chips in hand, "That's the only truck I've got." She was exaggerating her caution, of course. At least, Max thought she was. Maybe she actually believed it. Chloe _was_ actually a reasonably competent driver, all things considered, but not outstanding.

"See? We'll be fine," Max added. Chloe was safe enough, as far as she was concerned, and she was willing to go along with it if it would calm Mom down.

"Alright, alright," Mom sighed, "In that case, let's go out to dinner tomorrow night, to celebrate your last night home with us." Max smiled.

"Sounds good," she replied, "Thanks for seeing us off!" Mom smiled and shook her head, then got up and left the room.

"When did you grow up?" She wondered aloud, stepping out into the hallway and walking towards the living room. Chloe and Max were left alone together in the dining room, and Chloe started to wander towards the den, with Max and tow.

"Chip?" The taller girl offered, holding out the bag for Max. Without much hesitation, the brunette took a few and ate them as she and Chloe sat down on a couch.

"So, I take it your mom wasn't super excited about our road trip plan," Chloe remarked, putting her arm around Max as the two settled in together.

"More or less," Max agreed, clicking the TV on and finding something easy to watch, "I mean, worrying is just kind of a parent thing to do in general, but I think the hurricane storm thing put her on edge."

"That's fair, I guess," Chloe said, wiping her hand on her jeans before stroking Max's hair, "My mom is pretty nervous, too. Like, she's been holding me to that whole 'texting her every day' thing." That made sense to Max. Mom had only read about the storm, but Joyce had been there and seen it firsthand. Besides that, she was probably already worried about Chloe, and so it was understandable she'd want to be reassured her daughter was alright.

"I get that," Max remarked, snuggling closer to Chloe, "No need for her to worry, though. I'm here to look out for you." Chloe snickered a little and squeezed Max gently.

"And thank God for that," Chloe whispered, lightly touching her lips to the top of Max's head, "I seem to be a handful." Max smiled and lazily shook her head against the taller girl.

"Nah, you're fine," she murmured, "I've only had to save you, like, four or five times. Or something like that. Plus, you saved me from Nathan, and you carried me around when the storm hit."

"I still feel like there's kind of a mismatch here," Chloe noted, "But I'm glad I'm not wearing you out or anything."

"Well, we're about to have a whole week to ourselves," Max pointed out, "You could always try and wear me out then."

"But how would I-" Chloe began, before pausing and considering for a second, "Oh! Heh, nice. Yeah, I don't mind wearing you out that way. Not one bit."

"Good," Max replied, sitting up a little and grinning, "I promised your mom I'd take good care of you, and I plan to." Chloe looked both aghast and amused, snorting a little.

"Not what I think she had in mind," she laughed, holding Max close.

"Yeah, probably not," Max agreed, "But I'm not gonna let that stop me."


	48. Last Night in Seattle

Ryan and Vanessa had taken Chloe and Max out to the same place as their first night in Seattle. Not that Chloe minded, of course. She'd liked the place. "Grass-fed burgers" with "pomme frites" were pretty much just fancy and socially acceptable junk food, and she was fine with that. Plus, Chloe had really liked the ambiance the first time they'd gone, and that had carried over to this occasion.

Chloe got to sit to Max this time, though, which was nice. Granted, they were in a nice-casual restaurant, so it wasn't like they could just cuddle and kiss and crap, not to mention how Ryan and Vanessa were right across the table. It was still nice to be next to Max, though. Even after a month of being "official," public displays of affection, even as small as just sitting close beside Max at a restaurant, had a way of making Chloe feel giddy.

The evening went by pretty much uneventfully. Max talked with Ryan and Vanessa, and sometimes Chloe was brought in on the conversation, but she was mostly just an observer. That was kind of a microcosm of the last few months in Seattle, really. Max and her parents being a family, and Chloe being a weird little add-on. They'd all been really nice about it, and treated her well, but it was hard to feel like her own person when living in Max's house. It was a weird feeling, but Chloe was actually kind of looking forward to being back in Arcadia Bay.

Just like the first time they'd gone out to that place, on the night Chloe and Max had gotten to Seattle, the drive home was quiet. Again, they sat in the back seat of the car, holding hands and leaning over to rest against one another and nuzzle. This time, though, there was no specter looming over them, no threat of separation. Maybe because of that, or maybe just because she'd gotten used to being around Ryan and Vanessa again, Chloe felt a lot more at ease this time around.

"So, let's just recap one last time," Vanessa said once they were back at the Caulfield house, "You two are planning to leave tomorrow morning at around ten, right?"

"Yup," Max replied, hanging up her coat, "We're not in a big hurry or anything. Do you want us to wake up early so we can say goodbye before you and Dad leave for work?"

"Oh, no need for that," Ryan said, standing behind Vanessa and gently wrapping an arm around her, "We can just say our goodbyes tonight, so you girls can sleep in." Vanessa rolled her eyes and scoffed a little, but didn't protest. She didn't seem to disapprove of Max dating Chloe, exactly. Not that Chloe had seen, anyway. But she definitely did seem to be less cool with the two of them sharing a bed. She didn't try and stop them, or anything, but she was more awkward about it, more oblique.

Chloe definitely preferred sleeping in to having to get up early to say goodbye before Max's parents left for their jobs. For one thing, she just hated waking up early. More than that, though, it made it easier for her and Max to stay up later and bang once Ryan and Vanessa were asleep, _and_ for them to fool around in the morning knowing they had the house to themselves. Maybe that was why Vanessa looked a little annoyed with Ryan; he was always going out of his way to not be a cockblock. Well, not a cockblock, really, since there were none to block. Clamjam, maybe? Cuntstunt?

"Thanks, Dad," Max replied. Ryan released Vanessa, and both of them pulled Max into a hug. Chloe stood to the side for a moment until Vanessa pulled her in, too. Whatever awkwardness there was with Vanessa over Chloe banging her daughter, at least she still treated Chloe like part of the family.

"Be careful on the trip back to Arcadia Bay, alright?" Vanessa admonished the both of them once the group hug was over, "It will probably snow while you're on the road. Take it slow, and don't be afraid to pull over and wait it out if the weather gets bad." Chloe was used to driving in all seasons, but she wasn't going to hold Vanessa's mom-worrying against her.

"We will," Chloe assured her, "We've got a week to mosey on down, so we can afford to take our time."

"Max, we're so excited for you to be starting your last semester of high school!" Ryan stated, smiling broadly at his daughter, "Of course, I'm sorry that your first semester of senior year was cut short by a hurricane, but it's been so good to have you back for a few months."

"Agreed," Vanessa added, "Have fun with your last bit of high school! Not too much fun, of course, but try to enjoy yourself." She turned towards Chloe.

"Chloe, it was so good to see you again after so long! Give Joyce our regards when you get back to Arcadia Bay, would you?"

"Will do, Mrs. Caulfield," Chloe replied, nodding. Vanessa smiled and hugged Max one last time, then started up the stairs to get ready for bed. Ryan stayed behind, though.

"Take care of my little girl, Chloe," he said, smiling, "Don't make me break out the shotgun and the angry dad look!"

"Dad!" Max groaned, burying her face in her hands.

"If anything, she takes care of me," Chloe pointed out, leaning against the wall of the foyer and smiling back at him. Max sighed, hugged Ryan, and left, turning from the hall into the kitchen, probably headed to the den.

"Really, though," Ryan went on, his tone becoming slightly more serious, "Keep an eye on her. Keep her grounded. Keep her sane." He was a little vague, but Chloe felt like she understood what he meant. She just nodded in reply, and he smiled again and started up the stairs to catch up with Vanessa.

"Sorry about my dad," Max mumbled when Chloe stepped into the den, "He thinks he's funny." Chloe shrugged as she sat down on the couch, and Max readily scooched over to snuggle up next to her. Chloe loved when she did that.

"It's fine," Chloe assured her, running a hand through soft brown hair, "Ryan's always been a goof."

"Well, we're leaving in the morning," Max stated quietly, "Ready to go back to real life?" That was a pretty good way of describing it, Chloe thought. Going back to Arcadia Bay meant being back at home with Mom and David, puttering around town and picking up cash from oddjobs. It meant Max going back to school. It meant she'd be alone again for a lot of the time.

"Not really," Chloe mumbled, "That's why we're gonna have a week alone together between now and 'real life.'"

"God, I'm so ready for a couple's roadtrip," Max sighed, her voice wistful, "Driving around, seeing the sights and going on hikes, snuggling all night." Chloe smiled, her heart leaping at how happy the thought of quality time with her seemed to make Max.

"I mean, we snuggle all night here, too," Chloe pointed out. Not that she minded.

"True," Max conceded, "But maybe we'll have a queen sized bed at hotels. The more empty bed-space there is around us, the more I feel like the universe is just us." Fuck, that was some profoundly cutesy shit. Or maybe some cutely profound shit.

"I'll make it a point to ask for the biggest beds they've got at each place we stay in, then," Chloe replied, "Oh man, and it'll be hotels, too! No more moaning into pillows!" Max snickered.

"Yes, no more moaning into pillows," she agreed, her voice soft and even, "No more biting our knuckles. No more staying up and chatting waiting for my parents to go to sleep so we can make love, either."

"Luckily, I like you even when you're not naked," Chloe teased, "But seriously, I always feel like I could just sit and talk to you forever."

"Right back at ya," Max whispered, nuzzling against Chloe's shoulder. They sat there on the couch in the den for a little while, snuggling and talking quietly, until Max sat up a little and rested her forehead against Chloe's.

"So, wanna go up to my little bed and moan into pillows and bite our knuckles one last time before we leave Seattle?" Chloe smiled and kissed Max playfully.

"'One last time?'" she echoed cheekily, "We'll see about that." She kissed Max again, longer and deeper this time.

"But yes. Lead the way."


	49. Setting Out

"Okay, that's that," Max declared, setting the pillow down at the head of her bed and taking a step back, "I feel like we're leaving the place about as good as we found it." She and Chloe had spent the better part of an hour straightening up her room, and making the bed with clean sheets had been the last step.

"Phew, glad that's done," Chloe remarked, half sitting on the edge of Max's desk, "Cleaning is not a thing I'm used to doing. Cleaning bedrooms, anyway. I'm not bad at washing dishes."

"I figured it was the least we could do," Max replied, scooping up the pile of old sheets and starting for the door, "We had the time, and with us staying here for three months and everything, I figured we could at least not make Mom and Dad clean up my room." Chloe followed her out of the bedroom, closing the door behind them as Max started down the stairs.

"Uh-huh, sure," Chloe snarked, "Here's what I think: You didn't want your parents to have to pull the sheets up off your bed, because they're drenched in our sweaty, sexy funk." Max blushed and rolled her eyes. Not that Chloe was _wrong_ , though...

"You're gross," Max mumbled, opening the door to the laundry room, "But yeah." Chloe snickered.

"I do think it was also a good thing to do, though," Max continued, dropping the sheets into an empty hamper and leading Chloe out of the laundry room, "Campsite rule: Leave it better than you found it."

"Eh, fair enough," Chloe remarked, shrugging, "I mean, after we've been crashing here for a few months, I guess it was the least we could do." Max shut the door to the laundry room and turned to face Chloe, standing on her tiptoes to steal a quick, playful kiss.

"Glad you agree," Max replied, smiling and squeezing Chloe gently, "I want you to be welcome here in the future."

"Likewise," Chloe stated, putting her arms around Max's slender waist, "I mean, I'm just assuming here that we're gonna be visiting your parents again at some point in our lives."

"Yes," Max agreed, "I will be coming back to the place where I spent most of my adolescence and where my parents live at some point. And, since I don't like letting you out of my sight for too long at a time, you'll just have to come with me."

"I'll work on my baking skills, then," Chloe replied, "Your mom was starting to like my cookies. Maybe I can, like, pay rent in pastries and shit if you come back here after you graduate." The thought of moving back in with Mom and Dad wasn't super appealing to Max, but it had always been something she'd kind of assumed would happen for a little bit, at least. Staying with Chloe did complicate that, but they had months to figure out where exactly they were going to go once she was out of the dorms.

"Hopefully we'll have a better plan than just 'crash at my house,'" Max pointed out, giving Chloe one last squeeze before releasing her and stepping back, "Assuming one or both of us can find a job or something." Chloe shrugged, sliding her hands into her pockets.

"Sure, I'll start my career as a stockbroker," Chloe joked, "In the meantime, are you ready to head out?"

"Yes," Max reported, smiling, "We can now embark on our great adventure." The two made their way to the foyer, pulling on their coats and lacing up their shoes before grabbing their bags and stepping outside. Max turned and pulled the front door close after them, locking it, and then stepped back to look up at the house.

Four and a half months ago, Max had left for Arcadia Bay, sitting in the back of the car. Had it really only been that long? It was cliché, but it felt like forever ago. Four and a half months ago she'd been so nervous, but so excited. God, four and a half months ago she'd been excited to work with _Mark Jefferson_. That made sense at the time, but now the memory almost made her sick. She wasn't sure what was gonna happen to him. She didn't really want to know, honestly, so long as she never had to see him again.

Turning her back to the house, Max took out her camera and snapped a selfie. It wasn't like she was never coming back. In all reality, she'd probably be returning in a just a few months for Spring Break. Or maybe she would do something else this year, like a San Francisco road trip with Chloe or something. But even in that case, Max would probably end up back at home for at least a little bit after school ended. She still wanted to snap a picture to capture the moment, though.

"Okay, are you ready?" Chloe asked as Max climbed up into the cab of the truck, stowing her bag behind the seats. Max looked down at the developing polaroid in her hand. As the image emerged from the grey, she smiled, satisfied with her work. She couldn't be sure without comparing it to the photo she'd taken back in late August, but Max couldn't help but feel like she looked different in this picture, like she stood a little taller and looked a little more confident.

"Yeah, I'm ready," Max replied, reaching over and taking Chloe's hand, "Let's go." Chloe smiled and nodded, then started the engine.


	50. Where We Want To Be

Chloe sighed as she carried her bag from the truck to the motel room door, following closely behind Max. The trip was off to a pretty good start, all things considered. They'd gone on kind of a leisurely drive through the national forest east of Seattle, stopping occasionally to just take a look at the scenery. For dinner, they'd ended up at yet another small town diner, but Chloe honestly kind of liked the feel of those sorts of places. After all the fancy food she'd been having in Seattle, she kind of wanted just a normal sandwich in a normal dive.

Now here they were, checked into a cheap little motel. Maybe that had been, like, the unconscious reason Chloe'd picked it, because it was cheap and out of the way, like the place she and Max had crashed at on that first night after the hurricane.

So much of the last few months had kind of just melted together, but that night was burned into Chloe's memory. After they had gotten out of Arcadia Bay, she'd just kind of spaced out, driving here and there as the whim took her. The destination wasn't important to her, so long as it was _away_. When they'd finally stopped, she had been able to keep herself together long enough to get Max into the motel room before she'd locked herself in the bathroom to sob and puke. After that, she'd gone out and chainsmoked like five cigarettes and cried some more. Sleep had come quick once she was actually in bed, at least, and if she'd had any nightmares, she didn't remember them.

The next night had been a lot better, she remembered. She'd felt so much more at ease when she'd heard from Mom, like she could breathe again or something, and Max had seemed pretty relieved about her Blackwell email. Chloe and Max had held hands for the rest of the day, and Max kept staring at her with this goofy look on her face, but Chloe hadn't wanted to press. After the friggin' rollercoaster that week had been, the last thing she wanted was to kill what little happiness she had by getting all mushy and loveydovey. Not after what had gone down with Rachel when she'd tried that with her.

But luckily, Chloe hadn't needed to press the issue, because Max did. It was like something out of a dream, with the brunette stepping out of the bathroom in a cloud of steam and sitting down on the edge of Chloe's bed. The whole time Max spoke, Chloe hadn't been willing to let herself believe what she was hearing. It seemed too good, too perfect, like she was gonna wake up all of the sudden still up on the cliff, pinned under rubble and bleeding out.

But it had been real, and that night Chloe and Max had finally banged. Ugh, no, not _banged_ , really. "Made love" was how Max had described it, but that was so dorky, though. There should really be a word for passionate love sex that didn't sound like something your mom would say, Chloe thought. Reverse hate-fucking, maybe? Screwing from the heart? Whatever. It had been amazing, and had meant the world to Chloe.

"Chloe, close the door!" Max chided, laughing a little. Chloe had been lost in thought, and hadn't even noticed that they'd gone into their room. Derp.

"Eh, it's not even really that cold out," Chloe replied as she shut the door behind her. Really, she kind of wished it had been colder. It would have given her and Max more of an excuse to snuggle up close. Not that they really needed the pretext, at this point, but she loved the added desperation that came from clinging to each other against the cold.

"Cold enough that I might need some cuddles," Max noted, shifting back and forth and looking cutesy, "Like, a _lot_ of cuddles." Chloe raised her eyebrows and smiled.

"Oh? Well, I mean, I don't want you to spend all night shivering," Chloe teased, "Guess I'll just have to hold you extra tight." She started towards Max, who shuffled over to meet her. The two of them stood there in the middle of the room for a minute or two, holding each other close.

"I like these little backwoods motels," Max murmured, settling her head on Chloe's shoulder, "Is that weird?" Chloe shrugged a bit, careful not to jostle Max too much.

"Maybe sort of," she replied, "It reminds me of the first time we, um…" She trailed off. It wasn't that she was embarrassed by the sentiment or the subject, really, it was just that she still wasn't sure how to say it right.

"Made love?" Max finished for her, voice quiet and wistful. God, that still sounded so dorky. But fuck it.

"Yeah," Chloe agreed, "The first time we made love."

"Dork," Max teased, leaning back slightly to grin up at Chloe, "Now I've got you saying it!" Chloe scoffed but smiled, leaning in to snag a quick kiss.

"It still feels like a weird thing to say," she admitted, releasing Max and sitting down on the edge of one of the beds, "Doesn't really _feel_ weird, though. I'll grant you that."

"Well, thanks for that," Max laughed, hanging up her coat and coming over to sit next to Chloe, "Now come on. Cuddles!" She scooted closer to Chloe and began to nudge the taller girl's shoulder with her head. Smiling, Chloe lifted an arm and put it around Max, holding her tight. After a few moments, Max swung her legs over Chloe's, shifting up into her lap. In response, Chloe wrapped both arms around the smaller girl, squeezing her close.

"I wish every moment could be like this," Max murmured, nuzzling her cheek against Chloe's neck, "Like, I've been sitting here for an hour, and you're still so warm and so cozy." Chloe felt a little drip of something warm against her collarbone.

"Max, just live the moments in time with me," Chloe whispered back, tilting the brunette's face up towards her and wiping blood from under her nose, "I'm not going anyplace. There will be plenty of time to snuggle, you don't have to make more."

"Sorry," Max mumbled, blushing and glancing away, "I still have moments when I can't quite believe you're real, and I just wanna cling to you, y'know?"

"I get that," Chloe conceded, examining Max's face to make sure she was alright, "But don't go overboard with time stuff, okay? I don't like being the worried one." Cupping the back of Max's head in her hand, Chloe gently lay the petite brunette out on the bed and then crouched next to her.

"Besides," Chloe went on, lightly brushing a few strands of hair from Max's face and starting to cover it in kisses, "If you stay in any one moment, then you might miss an even better one coming up."

"Mmmmm…" Max sighed, running her hands through Chloe's hair and along her neck, "Good point." Gently, she guided Chloe's lips to hers, and the taller girl sank happily into the kiss. After a minute or so of tender kisses, Chloe softly pulled away and sat up.

"So, think it's cold enough that we should take a hot shower?" she asked, smiling down at her Max. With that nosebleed just then, Chloe didn't want to push Max into anything rigorous quite yet.

"Definitely," Max replied, pushing herself up into a sitting position, "But I'm still feeling a little faint from rewinding. You might have to help undress me." Chloe grinned and then gave an exaggerated sigh.

"Always more work with you, Max," Chloe teased, standing and helping Max up off the bed, "And I bet you'll want me to be holding you the whole time so you don't fall down, too."

"Yeah, probably," Max replied, falling backwards into Chloe's arms about halfway to the bathroom, "I'm gonna need to be pressed up against you pretty much the whole time."

"Good," Chloe whispered, dropping her teasing tone and speaking honestly again, "Right where I want you."

"And right where I want to be," Max murmured in reply.


	51. Always

Well, the road trip was off to a good start, Max decided. Her eyes were closed, and she was settled comfortably in Chloe's arms. Just like always, the taller girl's heartbeat made Max feel calm and safe, and she shifted a little bit to press her ear against Chloe's chest.

Given the mild weather, Chloe had up and turned the AC on after the two of them had gotten into bed. At first, Max had been sort of confused. It wasn't _that_ warm out, after all. But the slightly chilly air of the room made her instinctively snuggle closer to her beloved, and that helped the whole thing make sense. Now they were nice and cozy under the covers, having generated plenty of heat.

Chloe had clicked on the TV, and was watching it with the sound turned pretty far down. She'd done the same thing on the trip up to Seattle, propping herself up on a mound of pillows and just kind of killing time well into the night while Max slept pressed up against her. It hadn't seemed to impact her driving or mood at all, though, so Max didn't pry. There were a few big reasons for the two of them to get into bed at the same time, but not really to fall asleep together, Max supposed.

"You're mine," Chloe murmured, her hand running slowly and evenly through Max's hair, "My Max. You're my everything." Max wasn't sure whether or not Chloe knew she was awake, but she decided to just stay put. Chloe had such a cute romantic streak in her, and Max loved when she showed it.

"Sharing the last few months with you has just been amazing," Chloe went on, her voice barely more than a whisper, "Like, I've got shit to live for, now. I haven't felt this alive since…" She trailed off, but Max could guess what she was thinking. Since Rachel.

"Like, the last five years felt like a dream," Chloe continued, "And not like a 'dream come true' dream. Like 'this isn't real life and everything feels weird' dream. But with you, I feel like I'm _me_ again." That pushed Max over the edge. Cutesiness of that magnitude couldn't go unanswered. Rolling off of Chloe, she scooched up to sit against the pile of pillows, turning her head to smile at Chloe and cupping the taller girl's cheek.

"Oh, Max!" Chloe gasped, blushing a little, "I, uh, I thought you were asleep." Max leaned over to rest her forehead against Chloe's.

"I just like spacing out and snuggling you sometimes," she explained, her voice soft, "But yeah: I was awake." Slowly and gently, she pressed her lips against Chloe's, letting the moment last. "I'm glad I make you happy."

"That's an understatement," Chloe murmured, her breath warm against Max's lips, "You make me _live._ And not just 'cause of the times you've saved me, either. You're why I bother to _keep on_ living." Max felt that familiar flutter in her heart, the way she so often did when Chloe said sweet things like that.

"Well, I'm glad you think I'm worth living for, then," Max replied, draping her arms around Chloe's neck and pressing herself close.

"Definitely," Chloe whispered, reaching down and taking Max by the hips, pulling the smaller girl up into her lap to straddle her, "Like, it doesn't erase all the shit that happened for the last five years. But for the first time _in_ five years, I feel like I have a future." Max smiled at her Chloe, loosening her grip and just admiring the blue haired girl in the light from the television.

"Mmmm… And what do you think that future will be like?" Max asked softly, meeting Chloe's gaze. The taller girl made a show of thinking.

"Well, I can't be sure," Chloe replied, slowly running her hands up and down along Max's hips, "Probably hella cutesy."

"Lots of stuff like this?" Max asked, leaning in for another kiss, which Chloe accepted eagerly.

"Oh, no doubt," the taller girl agreed, grinning slyly, "And probably lots of this, too." She gently pushed Max down a little and lifted one leg slightly, rubbing against Max's groin. The brunette let out a quiet moan, pleased by the unexpected contact.

"Makes sense," Max breathed, closing her eyes and starting to rock back and forth, "I am yours, after all."

"Yes," Chloe whispered, "My Max." She shifted a little, and Max soon felt Chloe's soft, warm lips gently pressing against her neck and down along her collarbone. "My beautiful, brave Max."

"And you're my Chloe," Max cooed, her breathing getting faster and heavier as Chloe's hands rocked her hips more, "My precious, perfect Chloe."

"Always?" Chloe asked, pulling Max to a halt, lowering her leg while raising the brunette's hips slightly. Max almost whimpered at the sudden stop, but she loved how Chloe teased, and Chloe knew it.

"Yes," Max replied, half opening her eyes and taking Chloe's face in both hands, tilting it towards her own, "Always." With that, she leaned down for a long, heated kiss, and Chloe picked things right back up where she'd left off. If this was what the future was going to be like, then that was fine by Max.


	52. Familiar

The backcountry road wound through the Douglas firs, and Chloe drove at a leisurely pace, admiring the greenery as they went. It was late morning on a Monday, and this was definitely not a major thoroughfare, so in a way it made sense that they hadn't seen any other cars on the road for like an hour. That was fine with Chloe, of course. Just kind of wandering the backroads with Max felt all the more magical when there was no one else but the two of them in sight.

She would have liked to make better use of the situation, but road-head really wasn't in the cards. Maybe Max would be too shy to try anyway, never mind that nobody was around, but the real problem was more about logistics. It could work, _maybe_ , if she wasn't wearing any pants and Max was willing to cram in under the steering wheel, but even then it would be hard to give the brunette enough space to work in. Definitely not something they could just up and do on the fly.

Whatever. It wasn't like either of them were hurting on the sex front. At least, Chloe wasn't, and she just assumed Max was satisfied, too. Eventually the honeymoon period would end, she knew, and they'd settle down some. Classes, jobs, and just normal life shit would get in the way. But for the time being, Chloe still felt a certain "Fuck yeah, I'm alive!" exhilaration around sex, on top of the normal excitement of banging someone she was crazy for.

"This is such a pretty area," Max remarked, smiling as she looked out the window, "We should come back up here during the summer. I'd love to explore some!" Chloe smiled, turning a little to look at her Max while keeping an eye on the road.

"I mean, we can pull over right now, if you want," she noted, "It's not really too cold out or anything." Max pondered for a moment.

"Sure, let's do that," the brunette agreed, "At least for a little bit. It's kind of wet out, but I want to stretch my legs." Checking for a stretch of even ground off the road, Chloe pulled over after a minute and parked on a patch of damp grass. Max reached over to give her hand a squeeze and then hopped out of the cab to start towards the tree line. Chloe locked the truck up and followed, jogging a bit to catch up.

"God, it really is so beautiful here!" Max sighed, looking up at the trees. Chloe smiled and stood behind the shorter girl, wrapping her arms gently around Max's shoulders and chest. In return, Max lightly leaned her head back against Chloe, and reached up to stroke the taller girl's arms.

"I love how much you love nature and trees and shit," Chloe murmured, nuzzling against Max, "Like, I dig outdoorsy stuff, but I'm glad it's something you like, too."

"Of course," Max replied, resting her weight back against Chloe, "We've always run around out in the woods."

"Yeah, but there was that five year gap," Chloe pointed out, "I'm glad you're still my Max, the Max I've always loved, is what I'm saying." Max wriggled out of Chloe's grip just enough to turn around and wrap her arms around the taller girl, pulling herself close.

"Always?" she asked, her voice both hopeful and teasing. Chloe lightly ran a hand through her hair.

"Pretty much," Chloe admitted, blushing a little despite herself, "I mean, I didn't always know what it was. Didn't even occur to me at first, that I might _like_ like you." Max giggled a little at Chloe's use of such a middle school term.

"You were just Max," Chloe went on, "I just sort of assumed we would always be together, and I didn't think much about what that meant. By the end, I'd kind of figured out I was crushing on you, though."

"Why didn't you say anything back then?" Max wondered aloud. Her voice didn't sound accusatory or anything, just curious. Chloe sighed and then took a deep breath.

"Because Dad died," she stated, leaving the words hanging in the air for a second, "Like, I'd been thinking about it for weeks. About you, and how you were cute, and how you were my best friend, and how I wanted us to be more than best friends, even if you were gonna move away. On the day-" She reached up with one hand to wipe away a couple tears, "On the day Dad never came back, I was gonna tell you. I'd been on the fence about it, and when you started to act weird that day, I was scared you already knew and were mad at me or something. But then when you said how you were never gonna abandon me, and how you'd always have my back, and I knew I had to tell you. I was just working up the courage to when-"

"When the doorbell rang," Max finished, her voice quiet. Chloe nodded. That had been one helluva bucket of ice water for her. With all the craziness that that week had turned into, she'd barely had time to see Max off, and when she had she'd actually been kind of shitty. Looking back, that was sort of the start of the whole pushing people away thing. Fuck Max, she had thought. She didn't need her around, anyway.

"Chloe, I'm so sorry," Max murmured, looking up at Chloe with a sad expression, "I had no idea. I- I- I should have kept in touch. I shouldn't have left you all alone like that. Like, if you felt that way, it must have just been even shittier! I'm so, so sorry!" Chloe sighed and squeezed Max close, tears still running down her cheeks. Tears and frantic apologies wasn't where Chloe had been expecting this to go when she'd pulled over.

"You've apologized enough, Max," Chloe replied, trying her best to keep her voice even, "It's not like you could have brought him back. Like, you even said you went back to save him, and then _I_ ended up dying, only really slow and painfully. You had my back when you stopped Nathan from up and murdering me, and you didn't abandon me even when I was telling you to leave me to die."

"Still," Max mumbled, nuzzling her face into Chloe's shoulder, "I wish I hadn't left you like that. Even more, now." Chloe shrugged.

"You're here now," she whispered, "You're here now, and you're gonna be here from now on. I don't care what else might have been, or 'what if.' Even with all the shitty things that happened, I don't want to be any other Chloe, holding any other Max. I want to be your Chloe, holding my Max. Full stop." Max stood on her tiptoes and pressed her lips against Chloe's, lingering there for a moment before settling back onto her heels.

"Remember the last time we were crying in the woods at the side of the road?" Max asked, smiling as her voice wavered a little. Chloe thought back and smiled as well, leaning down to nuzzle and kiss her Max.

"I do," Chloe murmured, feeling calmer now, "Still feel the same way?" Max squeezed her.

"Of course," the shorter girl whispered, turning up towards Chloe. They both smiled and leaned in for another kiss. Chloe held Max tight, and the shorter girl ran both hands through her blue hair.

"Oh, for fuck's sake, get a room, you two!" someone called from the road. Breaking the kiss, Chloe hastily turned to face the sound. There, leaning out the window of a van and grinning, was the singer of that band from Portland.

"Bite me!" Max called back, laughing a little.

"Nah, looks like you're claimed already," the singer teased, "And I sure as hell don't wanna tussle with her." Chloe smiled now too, and held Max close for effect. Well, partially, at least.

"Damn straight!" Chloe agreed, shaking a fist in the direction of the van.

"Ain't nothing straight about any of this," the singer laughed, waving a hand in their general direction, "But I'll leave you babydykes to your fun. If you're ever in Portland again, come to another one of our shows. Hell, maybe we'll even get to talk when you're _not_ sucking face!" With that, she gave a mock salute and rolled up her window, continuing down the road and rounding a corner after a moment.

"You handled that nicely," Chloe remarked, smiling over at Max as they walked hand in hand back to the truck.

"I learn from the best," Max replied, squeezing Chloe's hand, "Think I'm ready for the mosh-pit yet?"

"No 'shaka brah' this time," Chloe noted, feigning mock approval as she unlocked the passenger door, "You're making improvement, at least." She walked around to the driver side and climbed in.

"Well, I think I at least amused that punk chick, so there's that," Max said, shifting around to get comfortable in her seat as Chloe started the engine and pulled back onto the road, "I couldn't quite bring myself to flip her off, though."

"I'm still proud of you anyway," Chloe assured her, flashing a grin.

"Good," Max sighed softly, leaning over to rest her head on Chloe's shoulder, "That's what matters to me."


	53. Hella Gay in Public

The Denny's was pretty quiet. It was a Tuesday evening, so probably not their busiest time, to be fair. Just as well. Chloe was always pretty cavalier about PDA, and Max was fine with that in Seattle, but out here in the boonies she felt a little shyer. It wasn't because she was embarrassed or anything. Sure, it had felt pretty awkward for a while at first whenever Chloe would kiss her in public or something, but Max was more or less over that.

What made Max nervous was people's reactions. Or, to be honest, just what she was afraid their reactions would be. Judgy looks were easy enough to shrug off, but the prospect of some belligerent yokel getting all up in their faces was pretty scary to her. Hopefully that would never happen, she thought to herself. The waitress had barely given them a second look when she showed up to take their orders, so that was a good sign.

"Stop fidgeting, Max," Chloe grumbled, sliding an arm around her and pulling her closer in the booth, "We're fine." Sighing, Max tried to just focus on settling in next to Chloe. She shifted around a bit until she found her comfy spot against the taller girl. As the warmth washed over her, the worry started to melt away.

"Alright, here's one All American Smash," the waitress announced, setting a plate down in front of Chloe, "And here's one chicken strips with fries." She set the second plate down in front of Max. "Anything else I can get for you two?"

"This all looks great!" Chloe replied, "We're good for now, I think."

"Well, Just flag me down if you need anything else," the waitress said, giving them a smile and leaving them to their food.

"See?" Chloe asked teasingly, scooping up a bite of hashbrowns with her fork, "We're fine." Max did feel relieved that the waitress had dropped off their food without incident. She'd seen them sitting next to each other earlier, too, but they hadn't been snuggling at the time. Chloe was right. They were fine.

"I just worry, is all," Max mumbled, nibbling on one of her fries, "Like, you read about people getting attacked for…" She trailed off.

"For looking hella gay in public?" Chloe finished for her, "Yeah, I mean, shit like that happens. But Arcadia Bay's pretty backwoodsy, too, and I never really got too much shit around there. Like, weird looks and stuff, but nothing dangerous."

"Yeah, but were you ever snuggling a girl in public?" Max asked, still a little skeptical but largely calmed down.

"Not usually, no," Chloe replied, "I guess that might up the risk a little. But I'm gonna be honest here, Maxer: Me liking girls isn't much of a secret around Arcadia." Max smiled and snuggled up against Chloe.

"Guess it won't be for me, either," she remarked, smooshing against Chloe for a moment before sitting up and starting on her food in earnest, "We can't be the only girl-girl couple in Arcadia Bay, though, can we?" It hadn't really occurred to Max before, but she realized she'd never really seen any same-sex couples in Arcadia Bay. Or maybe she had, and just assumed they were friends. But still, it was starting to dawn on her just how much more she and Chloe were going to stand out in Arcadia Bay than in Portland or Seattle.

"Technically speaking, we're not _in_ Arcadia Bay, yet," Chloe pointed out, speaking around a mouthful of scrambled eggs, "But nah, I don't think so. There's not like, a queer community or anything, but there's some other gay dudes and lesbians. Or whatever it is you're saying you are."

"Meh, who knows?" Max muttered, shrugging and pulling apart one of her chicken strips, "My sexual orientation is 'you.' I don't want anybody else. So, I guess we can round me over to lesbian, if I _need_ a label." Chloe snickered.

"Psh, you're so hipster," the taller girl teased, "'Ooh, I'm Max, and I don't need labels.'" Max smiled and poked the taller girl in the ribs.

"I just want to be myself," Max explained, "Does it really matter what we call me?"

"I mean, I guess not," Chloe conceded, turning to her pancakes, "Fuck knows I'm not good at labeling myself, either."

"Yeah, what _do_ you call yourself, anyway?" Max wondered aloud. Chloe was _definitely_ into her, and had obviously been in love with Rachel, but she'd also talked about a "fuckboy phase." Granted, Max had just insisted that labels didn't matter, but, well, she was nosy.

"Hella gay?" Chloe suggested, "Dyke? Huge lesbo? I dunno. I've banged dudes, but never, like, _liked_ any dudes, you know?"

"Not really," Max admitted, "Like, I mean it when I say 'make love.' Sleeping with someone you don't love just doesn't make any sense to me." Chloe rolled her eyes.

"You are just such a friggin' sweetiepie!" the taller girl groaned, laughing, "I love it!" Max blushed a little at the teasing, but smiled regardless. The thought of Chloe having sex with other people, even in the past, wasn't super appealing to her, so she was glad the conversation was moving away from that subject.

"I love that you love it," Max sighed, smiling over at Chloe, "Sweetness is all I really have going for me." Chloe scoffed.

"Bullshit," the blue haired girl insisted, "You're creative, and loyal, and hella cute." It was silly and sort of vain, but Max really did love hearing Chloe compliment her. She hadn't been wallowing in self-loathing all her life or anything, but she'd never really felt especially desirable. Granted, it probably didn't help how shy she could sometimes be; People are a lot less likely to ask you on dates when you don't talk to them.

"Flattery, flattery," Max teased, "I may be sweet, but you're a sweet-talker." Chloe chuckled, and the two of them continued dinner, letting their conversation wander this way and that. Once they'd finished, Max settled up the tab, and they left, with Max huddling close to Chloe against the cold night air in the parking lot.

"I swear it wasn't this cold when we pulled in," Chloe mumbled as they walked towards the truck, "Good thing you're a cuddler." Max smiled and snuggled closer as they walked.

"We'll probably end up in a drafty motel room," Max remarked, "Guess I'll just have to cuddle you all night." The taller girl squeezed her gently as they reached the truck, then released her as they went around to their respective doors.

"Sounds like a plan," Chloe replied, grinning as she started the truck, "We can keep each other nice and cozy." They pulled out of the parking lot and onto the road, driving along in comfortable silence.

"I really do love you, though," Chloe stated as they drove, reaching out to take Max's hand.

"I know," Max answered, smiling and squeezing the soft, cool hand in hers, "It's always nice to hear, though." Chloe squeezed her hand in return.

"I just wanted to stress that," the taller girl explained, "Because, like, I said I've fucked dudes and stuff, and then you said sweetness is all you have going for you, and I don't want you to think I'm like, settling for you or anything." Max sighed but smiled to herself.

"Glad to hear it," she murmured, bringing the back of Chloe's hand up to her lips for a light kiss, "You're my top choice, too." Chloe smiled over at her for a moment before turning back to the road.

"Even if I make you look hella gay in public?"

"Even then," Max assured her.


	54. Perfect

**A/N: Well, this one kind of got longer than I'd planned... More character/story based than fluff, but I hope you all still enjoy it!**

It felt great to be back in Portland. Seattle hadn't been bad, either. Big and busy and full of sleek tech stuff and sleek tech people. But it had always felt a bit too clean and granola for Chloe's liking. Portland was pretty well-off, too, and plenty granola, but it had a little bit of an edge to it.

Granted, maybe it was just a matter of the parts she'd seen. In Seattle, Chloe had been mostly just holed up in the Caulfield house, out in their upscale neighborhood, whereas in Portland she was right in the thick of the hip punk scene. Tigard or something probably had all the Caulfield-types, and Seattle had had that cool neighborhood Max had shown her around. But still, Portland felt like home.

Well, not _home_ home. Much as she shat on it, Arcadia Bay _was_ where she'd spent all her life. If she'd gone through all her life shit in Portland, maybe she'd just be wanting to move away to Arcadia Bay all the time. But whatever. She hadn't, so Portland had the greener grass.

"So, what are we gonna do?" Max wondered aloud as she and Chloe wandered around, hand in hand, "There's the museum, or we could just keep wandering around here. Seems like your sort of place." It was around midday, so the sidewalk wasn't too busy. Still, though, there were plenty of people walking around, shopping, working, and a few other groups of tourists. They were in that same cool neighborhood where they'd seen the show the last time they were in Portland, but it looked a little different in the wintertime.

There were posters up all over the place. On stores' bulletin boards, on telephone poles, on the sides of buildings, advertising every kind of show and event. Mainly, Chloe paid attention to the posters for rock shows. As they wandered, she caught sight of a few posters for one of the bands they'd seen last time. "The New Girl Scout," the band whose singer had run into them up north.

"We could go see our friend again," Chloe suggested, pointing out the poster, "I thought that band was pretty good. Do you… Do _you_ wanna do that? Like, we can do something else, if you want." Max was nice about humoring her, but she was really more of an acoustic indie girl, Chloe knew. It seemed like she'd had a good time at the concert last time, but Chloe didn't want to keep dragging her out to punk shows if she hated it or something.

"Yeah, that could be fun," Max replied, stopping to take a look at the poster, "She _did_ say to look her up if we were in town. Show's in like seven hours, though, so we can do some other stuff in the meantime." Chloe smiled, relieved Max was fine with going to another concert, and starting to consider how to spend the rest of their afternoon.

"While we wait, we could go to some galleries or something," Chloe suggested, starting to walk along the road again, "There's, like, _two_ big art museums here, I think. Modern art and art art." Max scoffed.

"Modern art _is_ 'art art,'" she grumbled, "It's just as good as Renaissance-y stuff." Chloe snickered but let the matter rest.

They visited both museums in turn, although Max pretty clearly liked the Museum of Modern Art best. Between the two, Chloe honestly preferred the Museum of Art, sans "Modern," really. It was kind of cool to look at old paintings and crap like they were some kind of window into the distant past. Maybe Leonardo da Vinci and those old Roman sculptors were real weirdos of their own days, but it felt really cool to get a glimpse into some other time and place through their art and crap. She knew what _modern_ life was like, so even when she saw interesting shit at the modern art museum, they were just novelties.

"So, is it just them tonight?" Max wondered aloud as she stood with Chloe in line for the concert venue, "Last time it was a sampler or something." It wasn't the same bar as last time, but it may as well have been. Not a _dive_ , exactly, but it had definitely been left to grunge up a little.

This place had a sort of Day of the Dead theme to it. Or, at least, there was a bunch of skeleton and skull décor. It advertised "famous margaritas," though, and it was called "Yolanda's," so that kind of pushed it over the edge in Chloe's mind to Day of the Dead territory. It was a cool look, Chloe thought. Maybe at some point she and Max could check out Mexico. The sun probably wouldn't be nice to her pale Oregonian skin, but whatevs.

At the door, Chloe paid the bouncer the cover charge, and she and Max had their hands stamped. Since she was driving and everything, it was just as well she couldn't score any booze, but Chloe was kind of in the mood for tequila now. Oh well… She and Max grabbed a couple of Cokes and sat down at a table by the wall with a decent view of the stage.

The band members were coming and going from the stage, setting up cables and equipment, and tuning their instruments. Chloe could recognize them, more or less, from last time. As the room gradually filled, the singer surveyed the place and seemed to notice Chloe and Max. Smiling, she hopped down off the stage and headed over.

"Oh hey, you two actually managed to crash one of our shows!" she remarked cheerfully, coming to the table, "It's weird to see you two not sucking face and feeling each other up." Max blushed, but Chloe just laughed a little.

"Yeah, we're passing through town on our road trip, and we saw a poster for your show," Chloe explained, "I figured we'd come and hear you play."

"Well, I'm glad you could make it," the singer replied, grinning at the both of them, "I'm Liv, by the way."

"I'm Chloe, and this is Max," Chloe stated, pointing to the brunette across the table from her.

"Glad I have something to call you now besides 'babydykes,'" Liv laughed, "Are you gonna be free after the show? You can come hang out with us, if you want. Lonnie and Sam usually have some noms for us after our set's done, and you two can hang out with us, if you want." Chloe glanced over at Max. Of course _she_ wanted to hang out with the band, but she could pass if Max would rather they kept their distance.

"That sounds fun!" Max replied, and Chloe breathed a quick sigh of relief, "Who are Lonnie and Sam? The women in your band?" Liv shook her head.

"Nah, they're the owners of this joint," she explained, waving her hand around to indicate the bar, "Or, well, Lonnie is. Sam's her wife. Well, girlfriend this side of the Forty Ninth Parallel, I guess, but pretty much wife." A woman with dyed red hair that had faded to pink stepped up to the microphone on stage. "Speak of the devil. This is my cue. See you kids on the other side!" She turned and wove her way back towards the stage as the MC began to speak.

"Okay, settle down, you jagoffs!" the woman at the mic ordered. Based on what Liv had said, Chloe guessed this was Lonnie. "I'm so glad to have you all in here tonight, filling my bar and drinking my booze. If you're wondering whether you should have another drink, the answer is yes." The crowd laughed. "But anyway, you didn't come here to hear me yak at you! Please, give a warm welcome to my favorite band since I had a band, 'The New Girlscout!'" Chloe and Max clapped, along with the rest of the audience as Liv hopped up the stairs and to the mic Lonnie had stepped away from.

"Thanks for that intro, Lonnie," Liv said, grinning, "But seriously, folks, the margaritas here are killer! Anyway, we're not here to talk, we're here to rock out! So let's do it!" With that, the band began to play, and Liv jumped in on vocals after a brief lead-in.

Just like last time, the music filled up the space. Chloe felt like her blood was pumping to the rhythm of the song. She wanted to dance. She wanted to jump around. She wanted to thrash. More than that, she wanted to dance, jump, and thrash with Max. Last time around the little brunette had gotten a little roughed up in the mosh pit, but maybe this time would be better. The crowd seemed a little nicer tonight than back in October.

"Come on," Chloe called over the music, stepping around the table and taking Max's hand, "Let's dance!" Max seemed to hesitate a little, but followed Chloe out into the open. There were other people out from the tables, dancing to various extents. Punk wasn't about rules or structure or anything, lucky for them.

Max was reluctant at first, but Chloe tried her best to be encouraging. Nobody was gonna laugh at them or anything. This wasn't about looking graceful, or showing off for other people. Thrashing was about cutting loose, just moving however your body wanted. About a song and a half into the set, Max started to loosen up and actually dance without looking mortified. It was a start, at least.

Throughout the set, Max and Chloe migrated between their table and the floor. They'd dance until they got hot and sweaty, and then sit and sip their sodas. After about forty five minutes, "The New Girlscout" finished their set. Everybody clapped, and Liv took a bow.

"Well, that was fun," Max remarked breathlessly, smiling over at Chloe, "Thanks for pulling me out there."

"Happy to help," Chloe replied, "Gotta keep up the mosh-pit exposure. So, still up for chilling with the band?" Max nodded eagerly. As the other band members packed up their instruments, Liv came back over to their table, waving Lonnie over as well.

"So, they're gonna be loading crap into the van for another few minutes," she explained, "After that, we can finally have some food. Oh, and here's Lonnie!" The pink haired woman stepped up to the little group, inspecting the pair of teenagers in front of her.

"You friends of Liv's?" she asked. She looked like she was in her late thirties, and wore a battered old military surplus coat. As opposed to Liv, who kind of slouched some, Lonnie stood up straight. She didn't seem on edge or anything, though. The way she carried herself almost made Chloe think of David, and she nearly burst out laughing imagining her stepdad with long pink hair.

"Sort of," Liv explained, "Chloe and Max here are road-tripping through Washington and Oregon, and I ran into them up near Seattle when Girlscout was on our way back from the gig up there. They were at that five for five we did a few months back, too, and I told 'em to look us up if they were ever back in Portland."

"We just noticed their posters while we were walking around town," Max added, "I'm glad we decided to come. They're really good!"

"Heh, that's 'cause I know talent," Lonnie replied, grinning, "I dragged Liv here in as my replacement once I'd gotten too old to keep driving all up and down the country to gigs. The whole original band's kind of moved on now, hence the 'New.' But I'm glad folks agree these kids are living up to the proud pedigree me and my crew began."

"Definitely," Chloe agreed, "I mean, I never heard the originals, so I don't know, but Liv and her band are really great on their own."

"That's because I stepped out before you'd even started growing tits, by the look of you," Lonnie chuckled, "Bet you weren't coming out to many underground punk rock concerts in grade school." That was true enough, Chloe had to concede.

Lonnie led them around to a party room in the back, and the rest of the band came in to join them after a few more minutes. Chloe and Max ended up sitting side by side at one of the tables in the back room, joined by Lonnie. She kept a seat free next to her, and Liv sat on a chair between two tables, alternating between talking with them and Lonnie and her band. Some pizzas and appetizers were brought out from the kitchen, and everyone eagerly dug in. It was slightly above-average bar food, but Chloe was happy with that.

After about half an hour, a woman about Lonnie's age came into the room. She smiled and greeted Liv and the band, asking them about the set, before turning to join Lonnie, Max, and Chloe. The new woman had wavy blonde hair that fell a little past her shoulders, tied behind her in a ponytail. She wore a muted yellowish-green plaid flannel and some jeans, and Chloe guess that this was probably Sam.

"Hey, babe," she greeted Lonnie as she sat down beside the pink haired woman, "Who are our time-traveling mirror world doppelgangers?" Max coughed, and Chloe was startled, wondering how on earth this woman knew about Max's power. After a second, though, she realized that Max was wearing a red and black plaid flannel, and that her own hair was still dyed bright blue. It was a little hyberbolic, but the two of them _did_ sort of look like younger, palette-swapped versions of Lonnie and Sam.

"Oh, these are Chloe and Max," Liv explained, introducing the teens once again, "A pair of road-tripping babydykes I've been crossing paths with. They came to our concert, and I invited them to hang out with us after."

"'Road-tripping babydykes?'" Sam repeated, raising her eyebrows and smirking, "God, where have I heard that before?" Lonnie and Liv both laughed, Sam having apparently made some sort of inside joke.

"They're nice girls," Lonnie stated, sliding an arm around Sam's waist and pulling her close, "Max is finishing up school down at Blackwell, over in Arcadia Bay, and they're driving back after crashing with her parents for a few months." Chloe felt herself blushing with pride a little at being introduced by Liv and praised by Lonnie. They weren't exactly international queens of punk rock, but definitely players in the local scene. And here she was, sharing pizza and jalapeno poppers with them!

The evening wore on, and conversation wandered, but eventually it started to get late. Granted, they were in a bar, so the place was gonna be open for several hours yet, but Liv and the band had to get up early the next day to leave for another gig down in San Francisco. Everyone got up and said their goodbyes, with the band meandering out and down the hallway to the back door.

"Listen, after you're done with school and stuff, if you need a place to crash in Portland while you get on your feet, you can give us a call," Sam told them, scrawling her name and number on a piece of paper, "We can set you up with wait shifts here, too, if you need."

"Thanks!" Chloe replied, smiling at the older pair as the four of them stood on the street out front of the bar, "It's real nice of you to offer to sorta take us in like that." Lonnie shrugged.

"Gotta pay wealth forward and all that jazz," she explained, smiling wistfully, "Sounds like you two are in a better spot than we were back at your age, but still. Always good to have somebody in your corner."

"Can't argue with that," Max replied, "Thanks again for the food and stuff!" They chatted for a few more minutes then parted ways, Chloe and Max walking around the side of the building to the little parking lot they'd left the truck in.

"They were nice," the brunette remarked as the two of them climbed into the cab of the truck, "Good to know we've got _some_ kind of options after I graduate."

"Yeah," Chloe agreed, starting the truck and pulling out of the lot, "Like, waiting tables and mopping floors isn't glamorous work or anything, but it beats nothing. At least we have _a_ place to go in Portland, if this is where we wanna be."

"Definitely seems like a good choice," Max replied, "Mostly, I just want to be together. So long as I'm with you, I don't really care where we are."

"Speaking of being together, and where that will be," Chloe remarked, "Any thoughts on that Holiday Inn we passed up on our way into town?"

"Sounds good to me," Max stated, "The last one we stayed in was great. Big, comfy bed."

"Perfect for snuggling," Chloe pointed out, "And other stuff." Max snickered a little.

"God, did you see the way Lonnie and Sam looked at each other?" she asked. Chloe was perplexed for a moment, but then figured out what Max was thinking about.

"Yeah," she replied, smiling to herself, "The way you look at me."

"And how you look at me," Max added, her voice soft, "And they've been together for like twenty years. Or close to that, anyway. It's just really encouraging."

"Well, I'm looking forward to spending _at least_ the next twenty years with you," Chloe stated, "Starting with tonight. In the Holiday Inn. In a big, comfy bed."

" _Just_ the next twenty years?" Max asked, her voice playful.

"Well, hopefully longer, but it will all depend on how well you can convince me," Chloe teased.

"Hmm, I'll think of something," Max replied, "Probably involving that big, comfy bed."

"Sounds like the perfect ending to a perfect day," Chloe stated, smiling over at Max.

"Good," the brunette said, reaching down and taking Chloe's hand, "But maybe think of it like the perfect start to a perfect twenty years."


	55. Specter of the Past

Max groaned as the sunlight leaked into the motel room through the blinds. It was Sunday. Assuming everything went according to plan, they'd be back in Arcadia Bay by early afternoon. They'd probably stop by the Price house, and Joyce would probably want Max to stay for dinner. That actually did sound pretty nice, when Max thought about it. But with Arcadia Bay came the resumption of real life. That, and separation from Chloe.

"I know," the taller girl mumbled, apparently thinking the same thing as Max. They lay there for a little while, just snuggled up in bed and resting in silence. Like she did whenever she was uneasy, Max just tried to focus on the rise and fall of Chloe's chest. Slow, steady, and safe. Arcadia Bay was much safer now than before all that craziness went down. Everything was going to be fine. Chloe was going to be fine.

"What time is it?" Max wondered aloud eventually, pushing herself up and glancing over to the radio/alarm clock on the end table, "Nine thirty. Still like two hours before we need to check out."

"Perfect," Chloe sighed, pulling the brunette back down onto her, "We're like thirty miles from the Bay, I think, so it won't take us long to get there. Is there any Blackwell shit you need to do at a time?" Max shook her head against Chloe's shoulder.

"I mean, I have to check in at the main office at some point before six," Max explained, "Just to let them know I'm here safe and stuff. But there's not any orientation or anything I need to be at. We can pretty much just stop there and drop off my bag."

"Okay," Chloe replied, "But I meant, like, are you doing shit with friends? You haven't seen them in months, so I totally get it if you wanna hang out with Kate and Stella or something. I can, like, I can be scarce for a while, if you want."

"I'll have plenty of time to catch up with my Blackwell friends," Max murmured, squeezing Chloe gently, "I want to spend as much of today with you as I can. Classes start tomorrow. Let's make today an 'us' day." Max felt Chloe's hand running through her hair, and felt herself almost lulled into a trance.

"That sounds good," Chloe said quietly, continuing to stroke Max's head slowly and softly, "What do you want to do?" Max thought for a moment.

"Besides you?" she asked, a cheeky smile crossing her face. Chloe snorted.

"Yeah," the taller girl replied, "Besides me." Max propped herself up again and smiled down at her Chloe. They could come up with ideas for the afternoon later. She had some more immediate plans.

* * *

Arcadia Bay had improved a lot since October, it seemed. All the debris had been cleared, for one thing. Main Street was in the process of rebuilding, and fast, by the look of it. The place had been pretty totaled, as Max remembered it, but there were plenty of buildings there now. Fresh looking ones, too. Either everyone was pitching in together to rebuild, or someone was pouring a lot of money into the town.

"Shit, is that supposed to be the Two Whales?!" Chloe blurted as they rolled past the spot where the old diner had stood. Max remembered it blowing up in one timeline, but it stood to reason that hadn't happened in this one, if Joyce was still alive. But it had definitely been in the line of fire for the hurricane. There was a brand new building there, though, with a sign declaring it to be the Two Whales Diner.

"I guess so," Max replied, examining the building, "I guess your mom still has a job, so that's good." Chloe nodded and pulled over out front.

"I mean, the place did alright, but I don't think it had the kind of bank to just rebuild from the ground up," the taller girl remarked, "Was there a crowdfunding page or something?" After taking another moment to look a little closer at the building, Chloe practically snarled.

"Oh hell no!" she spat, knuckles white as she clenched the steering wheel, "'Built with money from the Nathan Prescott Memorial Fund?!'" Max looked around for a moment before seeing those words printed on a small placard posted on the front of the building, near the door.

"His dad must be funding a lot of the rebuilding," Max noted glumly. On the one hand, it _was_ good that Mr. Prescott was using his money to put the town back on its feet. But it still turned her stomach a little to see his name stamped on the side of a building. Building _s_ , probably.

"Probably trying to buy up a better legacy for his shitty spawn," Chloe grumbled, "Maybe he hopes everyone will forget his kid was a rapist and a murderer if he just throws enough money at the problem. Hell, that was just what he did when the bastard was alive, too." She was trembling at this point, and Max reached out a hand to try and calm her. Chloe bristled at the touch, though, and Max hastily pulled back.

"He's getting away with it," Chloe growled, her shoulders starting to heave, "The shit he did, to Rachel, and to me, and to Kate… He's fucking getting away with it."

"But he's dead, Chloe," Max mumbled. It wasn't like she wanted to _defend_ Nathan or anything, of course. Max wasn't too big on making sweeping moral judgments, but if there was one life she wouldn't have saved even if she could, it would be Nathan's. Still, a shot to the head while cowering in a corner didn't quite seem like "getting away with it" to her.

"That plaque makes it sound like he's some local hero or something, though," Chloe explained, her voice quiet but intense, "People who do the things he did shouldn't get memorial funds named after them." She wasn't going to get any argument from Max on that point.

"It's PR from his dad, that's it," Max said, sounding more certain than she felt, "He wouldn't have named it that if people didn't already suspect Nathan." Chloe took a few deep breaths and straightened up.

"I'm gonna piss on his grave," she grumbled as she pulled back onto the road, "But at least a grave to piss on is all that's left of him." Normally Max might scoff and roll her eyes at something gross like that, but in this case, it felt warranted. If saying things like that was what it took for Chloe to feel like she'd reclaimed her life again, Max wasn't going to tell her no.

The two of them passed the rest of the drive to Blackwell in silence. It wasn't a super tense silence, really. Max just felt like there wasn't anything to say. For her, Nathan was in the past. He'd been scary, sure, but he'd only actually affected her indirectly by hurting people she cared about. She wasn't about to excuse that by any means, but in the end he'd mostly just been another tool for Mark Jefferson, as far as she was concerned.

For Chloe, though, Nathan was still an actively painful part of her life. He was the one who'd drugged her, kidnapped her, assaulted her… And the one who'd killed Rachel. When Max thought about it like that, it was easy for her to know how Chloe felt about him. Not just guess, not just understand, but _know_. After all, she still hated Mr. Jefferson for drugging, kidnapping, and assaulting her and for killing Chloe. Even if she'd gone back so none of that ever "happened," she still remembered it. And at least Mr. Jefferson was locked up and standing trial. Chloe didn't even have that relief. There was nothing for it but to process it, Max supposed. She was there if Chloe needed her.

It didn't take long before they were pulling into the Blackwell parking lot. It felt surreal to be back there, like stepping into another life. It would have to get less weird, though. Max still had another like five months of school there left.

"Okay, I'll just run in and drop off my duffel bag," Max said as Chloe parked, "Do you wanna come in with me?" Chloe turned off the engine and hopped out of the cab, which Max took as a yes. Opening her own door, the brunette climbed down and reached back behind her seat to fish out her duffel and messenger bag. When she turned around to close the door, though, Chloe was waiting, and pulled her into a tight hug.

"I'm gonna look out for you," the taller girl mumbled, squeezing Max close to herself, "I'm not gonna fuck up this time. I'm gonna keep you safe." Max wasn't entirely sure what Chloe meant by "this time." Like, as opposed to when Jefferson had caught them in the junkyard? Or opposed to… As opposed to Rachel?

"I think the danger's passed," Max whispered, letting her duffel bag fall and wrapping her arms around Chloe, "You don't have to worry."

"I always worry, though," Chloe replied, "Like, losing you is pretty much my number one fear." Max could understand that. October had impressed mortality onto her, at least, and had probably done the same for Chloe.

"No need to worry yet," Max assured her, squirming around in her embrace just enough to look up at her, "We've still got all of today to chill together. And all night, if we can figure something out." Chloe still looked worried and a little upset, but smiled despite herself.

"I like the sound of that," she murmured, leaning down to kiss Max softly. Whatever concerns Max had been worrying about- coming back to Blackwell, the shitty Prescotts, calming Chloe down- all melted away from her for that moment.

A/N: Well, that got a little heavy there. Hopefully a higher fluff to plot development ratio for the next chapter.


	56. Home Again, Alone Again

Dinner at home with Mom and David hadn't really been a surprise for Chloe. She'd kind of assumed that Mom would insist Max stay to eat with them, seeing as that was a total Mom thing to do. It still felt weird, though. Aside from the quick stop they'd made before leaving for Seattle, Chloe's last memory of home was hiding in her room with Max while the storm started to howl. Now here they were, sitting in the living room making awkward small-talk with David while Mom fixed up some food.

Chloe had been pretty skeptical when Mom had told her how much nicer David had gotten since busting Jefferson, but she had to admit that he seemed more relaxed, if nothing else. Based on all the crap Max had found in his little garage command center, it seemed like he'd known for a while that there was _something_ fucked up going on at Blackwell. With all that solved, he seemed to be more agreeable.

Then again, the change probably wasn't all on his end. The last three months had left Chloe a lot more at ease with her life than she'd been for the last five years, and so not having such a chip on her shoulder was probably helping a lot. It wasn't like David had ever been particularly adept at dealing with her or anything, but Chloe had to admit she'd never really made it easy for him. Even now, Chloe wasn't keen to lie down and just go along to get along or anything, but she and Max had been back for like forty five minutes now and she and David weren't at each other's throats yet, so that was good.

Dinner went pretty smoothly, too. Mom asked Chloe all about her time in Seattle, and Chloe did her best to make the whole thing sound interesting. She couldn't tell Mom and David about a lot of the real highlights of the trip, of course. "We pretty much just cuddled and screwed for most of the last three months," wasn't exactly dinner table conversation, even if she'd been willing to talk about that sort of stuff with them.

"Chloe's actually been baking a lot," Max stated, a bit of pride in her voice, "She's getting pretty good at it, too!" Mom and David looked taken aback for a second.

"Cookies and stuff," Chloe added, hoping to clarify the sort of "baking" Max had meant, "I've been baking cookies." Her folks still looked a little taken aback, but it seemed to be more out of surprise now than shock.

"Well, that's great!" Mom replied, regaining her composure and putting on a broad smile, "Glad you're doing something constructive!" Baking some sugar cookies wasn't really Chloe's idea of a huge accomplishment, but if it made Mom proud of her, she wasn't gonna complain. For all her "I don't give a shit" attitude, Chloe had been all too aware of how disappointed her mother had been of her since she'd gotten expelled from Blackwell and then just sort of dropped out of school altogether.

"Likewise," David agreed, "Making something with your own hands is very rewarding, Chloe." David approving of her felt even more alien. She didn't care nearly as much about his esteem as her mother's, but it was definitely more elusive.

From there, Mom and David moved on to asking Max about her preparations for school, and how she was feeling about all that. Just as well, Chloe thought. She'd been running out of interesting stuff to say, and if she got frantic, she'd get foul-mouthed, and if she got foul-mouthed, things might heat up.

When dinner was finished, Max volunteered to do dishes, and ended up in the kitchen with David, scrubbing and drying. From what Chloe could hear, they weren't exactly chattering their way to a fast friendship, but they seemed to be getting along alright. Maybe David really had changed, not just unwound some.

"I'm so glad to have you home again," Mom sighed as she and Chloe sat down in the living room, "I know you've been safe in Seattle this whole time, but having you back in the house really sets me at ease."

"Well, I'm back now, for a few more months, at least," Chloe replied. Mom raised her eyebrows.

"Just a few months?" she asked. Chloe couldn't help but feel a little bitter at the surprise in her mother's voice. As if she was going to just spend the rest of her life bumming around the house in backwater Arcadia Bay. Granted, she'd had plenty of time to get her shit together and move the hell out, but she didn't really appreciate the assumption.

"I mean, Max is graduating in June," Chloe explained, trying to keep her voice even, "So we'll see where we're going after that. We might have something lined up in Portland, if nothing else turns up."

"So things are serious, then?" Mom asked, "Between you and Max, I mean." Chloe sighed.

"Yeah, Mom, things are serious between us," Chloe stated dryly. She could feel herself sliding into her old defensive stance, guarded and suspicious. Why would Mom think she _wasn't_ serious about Max? Because Max was a girl? Because they were both so young? Or was she just making conversation, and Chloe was seeing barbs where there were none?

"Well, you two were always close," Mom remarked, "It does seem a little fast, though." Well, that was sort of true. Like, when she thought about it, Chloe realized she and Max had gone from reunion to screwing and "I love you" in about a week. But it hadn't been like Max was a stranger or anything. She'd been gone for a while, and there'd been distance between them when she'd come back, but she had always been Chloe's Max.

"It was," Chloe agreed, "But I feel more sure about Max than I think I've ever felt about anyone." That sounded dramatic, but whatever. Chloe's feelings about Max _were_ dramatic. Mom just smiled and shrugged.

"Well, she's always been welcome here," Mom stated, "But I guess even more, now, if she makes my little girl happy." Chloe groaned and blushed a little at being called her mother's "little girl," but at least Mom seemed to be more or less onboard. Granted, she'd said as much on the phone after Thanksgiving, but still.

"Okay, that was all the dishes," Max announced, wiping her hands off on her jeans as she came over to sit next to Chloe on the couch, "Thanks so much for dinner, Joyce!" Mom smiled as Max joined them, which Chloe guessed was probably a good sign.

"You're quite welcome, Max," she replied, "Like I said, you're welcome over here any time. You ever need a night away from the dorms, our pullout couch is free!"

"Thanks," Max said, scooting closer to Chloe, "Me and Chloe have five years of sleepovers to catch up on, so I'll try and stay here often." Mom coughed and looked away for a second, and Chloe couldn't help but smile to herself. On its own, the statement was innocent enough, but Mom knew what sort of "sleepovers" Chloe and Max had been having every night in Seattle.

David came and joined them after a little bit, and the conversation went back to benign small-talk again. That was just as well, though. Chloe loved Mom, and even David was being pretty tolerable, but that didn't mean she was ready to just start opening up to them or anything. It wasn't like Max and the Caulfields. It wasn't like _they'd_ been a hivemind or anything, but it had felt like Max could always talk with Ryan and Vanessa about the big stuff. Whatever.

After forty five minutes or so, Chloe declared she was going to take Max back to Blackwell. Mom, David, and Max said their goodbyes as she started up her truck, and she was ready to pull out as soon as Max climbed into the cab. It was weird to be back at home, and she welcomed the quiet darkness of the residential streets as she took the most roundabout route she could back to Blackwell.

"It was nice of your mom to offer to let me stay over whenever," Max remarked, taking Chloe's hand as they drove, "It's good to have a home-y feeling place to get away to. Especially a home-y place with you in it."

"Yeah, but just on the pullout couch," Chloe grumbled, "Not like at your house where we got to share a room and shit." Not like Mom's rules had ever been a big hurdle for Chloe having sex with anyone, but it still sucked. She wished she hadn't felt more at home with the Caulfields than in her own house.

"We'll figure it out," Max assured her, giving her hand a gentle squeeze, "And you can sleep over in my room whenever you want, as far as I'm concerned." That was a plus at least. "Maybe even tonight?" Chloe would have loved that. But crap, maybe she really _was_ maturing…

"After being gone for three months right after a big apocalyptic storm, I think I'm kinda gonna be expected at home," she sighed, "I can fall right back into my out-sneaking ways after a few days, but I think Mom'll have a freakout if I don't get back before she goes to bed."

"Oh, okay," Max replied, sounding disappointed, "That makes sense." Chloe pulled into the Blackwell parking lot, and killed the engine.

"Can you at least walk me home, then?" Max asked, her voice soft and sweet. Chloe nodded.

"Sure, I can do that much," she answered, hopping out of the cab and running around to join Max. Huddled together for comfort as much as for warmth, they walked towards Max's dorm.

"Here we are," Max murmured as they reached the entryway.

"Yup," Chloe agreed, glancing at the door, "Here we are." They stood in silence for a second, just looking at each other, before Max stood on her toes to reach up for a kiss. Chloe eagerly accepted, wrapping her arms around the smaller girl and holding her tight as their kiss rapidly heated up. For a few moments, there was nothing in the world but her and Max, making out and holding each other tight.

Eventually, though, they had to come up for air, and the spell was broken. They were on the steps again, in Arcadia Bay, in the real world. Max was pale, and sort of slumping against her, though. Dammit. Chloe hated having to be the grownup.

"There'll be more kisses later," she promised, looking into Max's eyes intently, "I need you to stay safe so it stays that way." Max blushed a little, all the more noticeably against her pale face, and nuzzled into Chloe's shoulder for a moment.

"Okay," she sighed, reluctantly taking a step back out of Chloe's arms, "Just… Hold on a second." She set down her messenger bag and shrugged off her coat. As she slipped out of her hoodie, Chloe started to get confused. It wasn't _that_ mild out.

"Hold onto this," Max said, holding out the hoodie for Chloe to take, "It's the jacket I've been wearing the whole trip down here, and it's the one I wear most often anyway. So I guess maybe it will smell like me? Or at least you can pretend it does." Chloe took the hoodie, bundling it up and stowing it under her arm. It wouldn't be the same as actually having Max next to her, but it was something. She pulled off her hat.

"Take this, then," Chloe replied, handing the knit cap to Max, "This is the only beanie I thought to take with me to Seattle, so it probably smells like me, too." Max smiled and took the hat, slipping it into her bag as she put the strap back over her shoulder. The two of them shifted back and forth for a second, just looking at each other.

"Text me when you're home safe and in bed," Max whispered as she started to turn towards the door, pulling out her key, "We can give each other little text-kisses goodnight." Chloe scoffed but smiled, turning at the bottom of the steps to look back at Max."

"Will do," she promised, sharing one last fond look with the brunette before the door shut and she was alone. Without any further reason to stay, she trotted back out to her truck and pulled out of the lot.

After fifteen minutes of driving in silence, Chloe pulled into her driveway. The lights were still on in the house, but it was only like nine thirty, so that wasn't too surprising. Late enough that she could easily go straight to bed, though. Taking a deep breath, she stepped back in through the front door and kicked off her boots.

"I'm kinda beat from the trip," Chloe stated, popping into the living room where Mom was reading and David was doing a crossword, "So I'm gonna go to bed." Mom got up and stepped around the couch, pulling Chloe into a hug.

"Alright," she replied, holding her daughter tight for a moment, "I'll see you tomorrow. It's so good to have you back home again!" It sounded like she actually meant it, too.

"Yeah," Chloe mumbled, sort of overloaded on all the different emotions of the day, "Safe and sound and everything. Goodnight, Mom." She started towards the stairs. "And, um, goodnight, David." With that, she padded up to the second floor and hastily brushed her teeth before shutting herself up in her room.

The roof had indeed been repaired while she'd been gone, and it looked like all her stuff was over by the wall where she'd left it. The whole room still sort of smelled like paint and dust, but whatever. The place was habitable, at least, which was better than she'd left it.

Slipping out of her jeans and kicking off her socks, Chloe scurried over to her bed across the cold hardwood floor, hopping onto the mattress and pulling the covers up. Just like she'd promised, she pulled out her phone and sent a text to Max.

"Okay. All cozy and safe in my blankies." While she waited for a response, Chloe held Max's hoodie close to her chest, leaning down to breathe it in. It did kind of smell like Max, she thought. Or maybe it was just in her head. It didn't really matter, though. It reminded her of Max, and that was good enough. Her phone buzzed.

"Wish u were here," was Max's response, with an attached photo of the brunette wearing a goofy smile while wearing Chloe's beanie. Chloe smiled at the picture, and typed out a reply.

"Same. I luv u." She held her phone out enough to get a picture of herself blowing a kiss, and sent it and the message to Max.

"I luv u 2," Max wrote back, with a picture of her head on her pillow, looking wistful. They exchanged messages like that for a little while, until Chloe's phone stayed silent.

Figuring Max had fallen asleep, Chloe set her phone on the ground next to her bed and rolled onto her back. Then onto her side. Then onto her belly. Then onto her back again. Her bed felt too big, and too empty. She was painfully aware of Max's absence, and it just felt _wrong_. She'd spent pretty much every night before October sleeping alone, so it really shouldn't have been such a big deal, but sharing a bed was something she'd gotten used to.

Tossing and turning for a while longer, Chloe finally settled on zipping up Max's hoodie around one of her pillows. God, she felt so pathetic, snuggling a pillow wearing her Max's jacket, but it did sort of help. Having her arms around something vaguely Max-ish settled her a little, at least. It was a third-rate imitation at best, but it would have to do for now.


	57. First Day Back

Sleeping alone sucked, Max concluded. The intervening three months had given her fears and trauma ample time to settle in the back of her subconscious, so she hadn't descended into full-on nightmares like she had back in October, but not having Chloe's arms around her still left her restless. It was something she'd have to get used to, she supposed, but that didn't mean she had to _like_ it.

Stepping out of her room with her shower stuff, Max found the hallway to be full of activity. Taylor and Courtney were haunting Victoria's doorway as the queen bee held court, Stella, Alyssa, and Kate were chatting over by the Stella's room, and Dana's door was open, blaring music. Everyone had broken off into their little groups, it felt like, except for Max. She'd catch up later, though, she thought. For now, she just wanted to get ready for the day.

Pulling the curtain on one of the stalls, Max slipped out of her pajamas and turned on the water. After months of her own private bathroom, and even the hotel bathrooms on the road, it was kind of a bummer to have to go back to the grody dorm showers. It was the first day back, so they were in pretty good condition just then, but they'd get gross soon enough. She didn't linger too long, washing hastily and then brushing her teeth at the sink before turning to go back to her room.

"Oh, Max!" Kate exclaimed as she stepped into the room, face lighting up upon seeing the brunette. Giving Max only a second to brace herself, the little blonde barreled into her, wrapping her in a tight hug.

"It's so good to see you!" Kate went on when she released Max after a moment, "I mean, I know we've been keeping up on Facebook and stuff, but I mean in person!" Max smiled. Of all the people at Blackwell, Kate was probably the one she had missed the most.

"I'm glad to see you too, Kate," Max replied, "Did you, um, have a good break?" Kate shrugged.

"I mean, I guess," she stated, "It was sort of weird. I was gonna be on medical leave for the rest of the semester, anyway, and Mom and Dad had picked me up to take me home the morning before the storm actually hit. It was kind of good for me, in a way, since it meant I could do all that work and reading at home for credit and not fall behind!" She looked away sheepishly. "But, I mean, it wasn't good that a storm sort of wrecked part of the town, though…" They stood in silence for a second. "H-how was your break?"

"Oh, it was pretty good," Max said, "Chloe drove me home to Seattle, and we got to hang out together the whole time. It was really laid back, but really nice."

"Chloe?" Kate asked, before realization crossed her face, "Oh, the, um, girl you're seeing?" Max nodded. She couldn't quite tell if there was judgment in Kate's voice or not, but she wasn't going to go looking for it.

"Yeah," she replied, "We grew up here together, and we reconnected after I came to Blackwell." Kate sighed but put on a smile, facing Max again.

"It really seems like she makes you happy," Kate noted, "So then I'm happy for you." It wasn't like Max had been expecting a big lecture from Kate or anything, but she knew the little Christian girl wasn't really on board with any sort of dating that wasn't leading to a church wedding, straight or otherwise, so it was a relief that she seemed willing to just work around the big queer elephant in the room.

The two chatted for a bit longer, but eventually they both agreed they needed to get ready for classes. Kate scampered into one of the shower stalls, and Max went back to her room. Once she was dressed and had her book bag packed, Max left the dorms for the main building.

It being the first day back, none of her classes were super intense or anything. Pre-Calc, English, and Chemistry all started with everybody settling back in and teachers outlining the rest of the semester. Nothing big. There was a new photography teacher, though, and she seemed nice. Max had heard of her and seen some of her work, mostly nature photography for National Geographic and stuff. She didn't have quite the art world clout Mr. Jefferson had, but she was also probably not a creepy serial rapist, either, so there were pros and cons.

Being back in the photography classroom was really surreal, though. The last time she'd been there, it had been in her nightmare. There'd been graffiti all over Kate's desk, blood all over the windows, and Mr. Jefferson had seduced her. To everyone else it was just the photography room, made just a little creepy, maybe, to anyone who'd heard the rumors about Jefferson. But to her, it had a lot more baggage to it.

Much as she tried to pay attention in all her classes, Max just kept thinking of Chloe. How she missed her, how she loved her, how she'd rather be snuggling up on a couch with her. Max had never really imagined herself being so codependent with anyone, and it was sort of disconcerting. As time went on it would probably get easier, she figured. Nevertheless, she was elated when classes finally ended and she could run out to the parking lot to meet Chloe.

Sure enough, the blue haired girl was leaning against the side of her truck out in the lot, scanning for Max. She'd at least parked in one of the normal spots, not the handicapped spaces, which was a relief. As Max jogged closer, Chloe seemed to notice her, and her face lit up.

"Damn, I've missed you!" Chloe breathed as she pulled Max into a tight hug, spinning her around once before setting her back on her feet.

"I missed you, too," Max whispered back, eagerly resting against the taller girl. They hadn't even been apart a full day, but Max could feel herself holding on tight, like she'd never let go. They stood there for a moment, snuggling, until Chloe finally loosened her grip.

"So, what should we do with the afternoon?" Chloe asked, smiling down at Max, "You're free, right? Like, you don't have a mountain of homework already?"

"Yeah, I'm free all afternoon," Max assured her, "I'm all yours." Chloe gave a cheeky smile.

"Heh, I've got a couple ideas, then," she teased, and Max snickered, "But maybe we can get to those later. Right now I just want to chill with you."

"We could go up to my room," Max suggested, "Just cuddle up on my couch for a while, and talk about whatever."

"That sounds good," Chloe replied, releasing her entirely now before taking her hand. They started toward the dorms, gently squeezing each other's hands as they walked across campus. If anyone was giving them looks, Max couldn't really care enough to notice. It was high school. An artsy, creative-type high school. It was fine.

The hallway was less abuzz when they walked through it than first thing in the morning. Max could still hear people chitchatting in some of the rooms, but nobody was congregating in the halls or anything. She didn't have anything to hide, per se, but Max was perfectly happy to get a bit of privacy on her way to her room. She assumed most people on her floor were going to be subjected to her and Chloe's noise, but day one didn't need to be the time to introduce everyone. "This is Chloe. We make love a lot. You'll hear her moans. Get used to it." Definitely not the best way to start the semester.

After a few seconds in the hallway, they stepped into Max's room, and the door shut behind them. It wasn't exactly a soundproofed fortress of solitude or anything, but Max felt a bit more relaxed in the confines of her own four walls. It was just a crappy dorm room, but it was her cocoon. Even after Victoria, Nathan, and Mr. Jefferson had broken in, it still felt like her safe place.

"So, how was school?" Chloe asked, plopping down on Max's couch, "I mean, take that in the least parental-sounding way possible." Max smiled and happily curled up next to the taller girl, nestling into her arms.

"It was okay," she muttered, "Like, all my teachers mostly just kind of said hi and went over what the rest of the semester's gonna be. Things'll get hectic pretty soon, probably. But today wasn't too bad." The second Chloe's arm settled around her, Max felt warm and safe. Nothing could really feel wrong with Chloe there.

"Today felt _really_ slow, though," Max went on, shifting around until she found her comfy spot against Chloe's shoulder, "I was just counting down the minutes until I got to see you again." Chloe was quiet for a moment, just stroking Max's hair.

"Yeah, same here," the taller girl murmured, "I slept in and shit, but I still just kinda killed time until, like, now." Shit. It was just their first day apart, Max knew. In all probability, it would get easier as time went on. But to her, it felt like it would be even harder to sit through the day knowing Chloe was champing at the bit to see her, too. She'd live. They both would. But the transition from near symbiosis to a normal level of contact was shaping up to be a big hurdle.

"Maybe you should take up a hobby or something," Max suggested, trying not to dwell on how codependent they'd become, "Something to focus on, y'know?"

"I could bake more stuff," Chloe noted, "But there's only really so much baking I can do before it starts to get to be a hassle for my mom. Like, she'd need to get a bunch more eggs, milk, flour, and stuff than she's been buying. Maybe I could start drawing crap." Max liked the idea of Chloe taking up drawing, or maybe poetry. It would probably be best for her to get a job or something, but Max didn't want to push her. Not just then, anyway. If Chloe needed a bit of drive eventually, Max could maybe give her a push, but for now she just wanted Chloe to relax.

"That would be cool," Max agreed, "I'm definitely down with you doing creative stuff. You could also probably get a lot of reading done, if you wanted to do that."

"There's that, too, yeah," Chloe replied, "I've been thinking about maybe reading up on the stock market and stuff. I've still got a bunch of that Wells money. It'd probably be a lot better to have it making more money than just stuffed in an envelope in my room."

"I don't know," Max mumbled, "I feel like safe investments are supposed to be the ones that don't pay off quick or anything. Like, you can invest it, and just leave it, and it'll eventually be worth a lot, but only after thirty years or something."

"I guess," the taller girl conceded, leaning down to touch her lips to Max's scalp, "But it's not like it's money I had to earn or anything. I guess it's a gamble, but not really a big one. I don't have a mortgage or anything to be paying off." The idea of what amounted to money for nothing definitely appealed to Max. Plus, Chloe had a point about the money. It'd be one thing if this was money they needed for other stuff, but Max would honestly have preferred Chloe try her hand at stock-trading than to blow the cash on weed or something.

"It's worth a shot, I guess," Max said, trying to sound encouraging, "Maybe don't put it all in one thing, but you could try a couple of trades on eTrade or something, probably." Chloe squeezed her gently, and nuzzled her a bit.

"We'll see," Chloe muttered, "Anyway, enough money talk. Small-talk and stuff aside, how are you actually after your first day back?" Max considered the question. Nothing had really been _bad_ , exactly, but it had felt really strange. Even more than just the readjustment period inherent to shifting from vacation back to a regular schedule, it just felt incredibly weird to be back and acting like nothing had happened.

There'd been whispers, of course. Where was Mr. Jefferson? Had Nathan really died in the storm like his family said? Why was Mr. Madsen back, and how come he was so much more agreeable? But nobody else seemed actually aware of what all had been going on before. Having to keep up the façade of normality along with everyone else had left Max feeling a little drained, to be honest.

"Sort of burnt out," Max admitted, "I mean, I figure I shouldn't just go around blurting out everything that went down back in October, but it feels like I'm keeping it all bottled in. I guess it'll get easier as time goes on, but today felt like I was putting on a mask. More than usual, anyway."

"Yeah, I get that," Chloe mumbled, "Like, I'm not having to hang out it in a place where any of the stuff really happened. I couldn't bring myself to go back to the junkyard yet. But I definitely understand feeling of everybody else just kinda going on with their lives like it'll ever be normal again." Max looked up into the taller girl's eyes, studying them for hurt or sadness.

"So, then, how are you?" she asked quietly, still keeping her eyes locked with Chloe's.

"Weirdly shook up," the blue haired girl explained, "Didn't do much today, but I just kinda sat around feeling uneasy the whole time. Being back with you is helping a lot, though." Max smiled, and brought her hand up to rest against Chloe's cheek.

"Can I do anything to help more?" Max asked. Chloe smiled and reached down to lightly take her by the hips. Gently, the taller girl pulled Max up into her lap, straddling and facing her.

"Maybe some kisses would help," Chloe suggested, wrapping one arm around Max's waist and stroking her back with the other hand, "Kisses are nice." Max smiled, and leaned down to press her lips against Chloe's. They were soft and warm, and altogether delightful.

"Like that?" Max teased, running a hand through Chloe's hair. The taller girl nodded, her eyes out of focus for a moment before fixing on Max's.

"Yeah," she sighed, "Just like that." Max was happy to oblige, dipping her head once more as she and Chloe sank into a stream of kisses.

"Is every day going to be as hard as this?" Max grumbled during a lull.

"Shit, I hope not," Chloe replied, holding Max tight, "Today sucked…" Max frowned, scrunching up and burying her face in the crook of Chloe's neck.

"I guess we got kinda spoiled from spending every day together for a few months," Max remarked quietly, "But we survived without each other at all for five years. We can get used to spending a day or two at a time without seeing each other." Chloe was quiet for a moment, still holding Max close.

"I guess," she muttered, "But… Can we not get _too_ used to it?"

"Definitely," Max replied, sitting up to look into Chloe's eyes again, "In the meantime, let's enjoy being together." She stole a quick kiss from Chloe's lips. "Please?" Chloe's face brightened and softened, and she leaned in a bit.

"Sure," Chloe agreed, hands sliding down to settle on Max's hips again, "Let's make some prep-school kids uncomfortable."


	58. The Note

"There's a note," Chloe pointed out, waving a hand toward the door, "Somebody slipped it in through the crack."

"Well, that's kinda passive-aggressive," Max remarked, sitting up and craning her neck to get a good look.

"Eh, you don't know it's negative," Chloe noted, "But, I mean, yeah. Probably." They were lying together on Max's narrow twin bed, snuggled up under a sheet and a light blanket. It wasn't really cold in the room, of course, but cuddling under the covers was just what you did after sex. At least, it was what Chloe and Max did.

Leaning out over the floor, Chloe stretched out an arm and snatched up the note. She wasn't ready to get out of bed yet, but she _was_ curious. It was just a folded up piece of notebook paper, so she guessed it wasn't an invitation to a masked ball or something, but she still wanted to read it. Clearing her throat, she unfolded the sheet of paper and began to read.

"'Dear Max,'" she began, "'We, the undersigned, are just so thrilled you've found a special someone. Really. Truly. Yay! We understand you would like to express your love for that specialness, and we don't blame you. This building saw plenty of nookie before any of us got here, and it's gonna see plenty more after we all graduate. Nobody wants to clam-jam you. We live in a dorm. People fuck. Just consider this a preemptive plea to observe quiet hours if your bae starts crashing here overnight. Your dear friends and dorm-mates, Dana, Juliet, Victoria, Taylor, Courtney, Kate, Alyssa, Stella, and Brooke.'" Turning to check Max's reaction, Chloe saw she'd turned bright red.

"Oh, and they wrote a couple mini-notes, too!" Chloe went on, amused, "Hm. 'I didn't want them to write f-, but they did it anyway. –Kate.' How thoughtful. 'There was a yes or no betting pool for if you liked girls, and we won! –Juliet, Dana, Courtney, and Stella.' Hey, we made them some money!" Max snatched the note from Chloe and looked it over herself.

"I think this is Dana's handwriting," she remarked, still blushing brightly, "It seems like the kind of thing she'd come up with. It's not bitchy enough to be Victoria, and not sweet enough to be Kate. Plus she signed first. This is a little, um, mortifying." Chloe thought it was hilarious, but she also didn't really know any of these people. That, and she wasn't quite as shy as Max was about sex stuff.

"I mean, it could be worse," Chloe pointed out, "Just kind of a general request that we don't keep them up at night. We can probably manage that, right?"

"I guess," Max conceded, "And it's not like they're all virginal cherubs or anything… It just feels so _weird._ " She flopped back down onto her bed, staring glumly at the ceiling.

"Eh, it can't really be that bad, can it?" Chloe pressed, "Like, your mom and dad knew we were banging all the time."

"Not helping!" Max groaned, blushing again and rolling over to hide her face in her pillow. Chloe couldn't help but snicker to herself at how flustered Max was getting.

"If they ask, we can lie and tell them we were moving furniture around," Chloe teased, lying back down next to Max and playing with her hair, "And just _really_ liking our ideas." Max groaned again, but then turned her face to look at Chloe, smiling and rolling her eyes.

"I don't think they'll buy it," Max sighed, shifting onto her side and scooting over to cuddle up next to Chloe, "But I think we'll live." Chloe wrapped an arm around Max, holding her close, and leaned down for a quick kiss.

"Well yeah," Chloe laughed, brushing hair out of Max's face and smiling down at her, "Like they said in the note, it's not like we're the first to bang in the dorms, and they get that. Try not to worry about it so much." Max sighed again and squeezed Chloe a little.

"I'll try," she conceded, "In the meantime, could you get us my water bottle? I'm kind of thirsty."

"Sure thing." Chloe rolled out of bed and walked over to Max's desk, where the metal bottle sat. As she picked it up, though, it felt way too light. Empty.

"Looks like I'll have to go refill it," Chloe noted, "Just down the hall and to the left, right?"

"Yeah," Max confirmed, nodding, "I mean, you should probably put some clothes on first, but then yeah, the bathroom's gonna be a left, then another left." Hastily, Chloe pulled on her jeans and tank-top. That would be enough clothing to just walk down the hall and back, she figured.

The hall was empty as she walked down to the bathroom. It wasn't even four, but the dorm was pretty quiet. She heard a bit of noise coming from the end of the hall, from what she thought was a TV lounge or something, but the place as a whole definitely wasn't buzzing with activity. Maybe it got more social in the evenings, or maybe everyone were just homebodies.

After filling the bottle up, Chloe strode back out of the bathroom and turned towards the main hallway. She noticed this time through that everyone had little whiteboards to write messages on. Sort of a cute idea, she thought to herself, even if it kinda lent itself to abuse. Anonymous platforms in the hands of teens didn't always end well. Max's whiteboard, as it turned out, had the words "Welcome to the Love Shack" scribbled on it, with little hearts drawn in the negative space. She was pretty sure it was meant to be teasing, but Chloe figured she'd leave it.

"So, your room has been rechristened as 'The Love Shack,'" Chloe reported, stepping in and shutting the door behind her, "Probably by the same people who left us the note." Max blushed again, almost redder than before.

"Sorry," she mumbled as Chloe pulled her clothes off and climbed back into bed, "I, uh, hadn't really planned on introducing you to them quite like this…"

"I mean, it's pretty accurate, if nothing else," Chloe noted, shrugging and smiling, "May as well start the semester as we mean to go on." Max chuckled a little but maintained her blush.

"I'd never really expected to be that sort of person," the brunette remarked, sitting up to take a gulp from the water bottle, "Like, the PDA, obliviously ga-ga over her beau girl. Oh God… I'm _that_ girl!" Chloe laughed at the mixture of amusement and horror in Max's voice, taking the bottle to take a few sips of her own.

"Yup, no going back now," Chloe replied, wiping her mouth and setting the bottle on the floor, "But, um, really. Please don't go back and erase the last hour." She lay back down, and Max eagerly snuggled up close.

"Never," Max whispered, nuzzling into Chloe's shoulder, "Now or later, this was bound to happen eventually." Chloe snickered, but wrapped her arm around Max.

"So, what do you wanna do now?" the taller girl asked after a few minutes of cuddling in silence, "I think I heard a movie going in a common room or something down the hall, if you wanna chill with a group or something." Max shook her head.

"Not when we're all sweaty like this," Max replied, "I mean, especially because they'd all know _why_ we're so sweaty…"

"Fair point," Chloe conceded, idly running a hand through Max's hair, "We could always try to Netflix and chill again." Max slowly wriggled out of Chloe's grip and sat up, smiling down at the blue haired girl.

"Sure," she agreed, "Maybe we'll be able to hold out a whole twenty minutes this time." She climbed over Chloe and out of bed to retrieve her laptop from her desk.

"Nope," Chloe whispered to herself as she watched Max walk through the afternoon light, "Not likely…"


	59. A Good Start to the Weekend

The next couple of days went pretty much the same. Max would go to her classes and try her best to focus on the tasks at hand, and then she'd meet Chloe once they were done. They'd snuggle in her room, or sometimes at Chloe's house, and just talk, and kiss, and make love. On Thursday Max had had some homework, but Chloe had been nice about just chilling in her room until she was done.

School still felt surreal, although the façade of normality faded with time. Much as Wells and the rest of the faculty maintained a guarded silence about what had happened in October, the Blackwell students were abuzz with gossip. Rumors spread across campus about Jefferson's absence, about Nathan's death, and about why the Vortex Club had been forcibly disbanded by the administration. Max knew the truth about the first two, and she assumed that it was connected to the last thing, but she figured it was probably best not to let on how much she knew.

After the embarrassment with the note on Monday, Max had been trying to keep it down when she and Chloe made love. Chloe, though, in typical Chloe fashion, didn't really bother trying to muffle herself at all. Granted, nobody was being mean about it or anything, but Dana and Juliet liked to tease her a little. It could have been a lot worse, but it was still pretty jarring for Max to go from being pretty invisible to being the girl everyone on her floor looked at with knowing smiles.

At least it was the weekend, though, Max thought to herself. She could sleep in, she could maybe catch up with Kate, and she could hang out with Chloe at times earlier than three in the afternoon. She felt light and relieved as she traipsed down to the parking lot, where, to her surprise, Chloe was waiting with a duffel bag.

"Hey!" Max greeted, approaching and holding her arms out for a hug. Setting the bag down on the hood of her truck, Chloe took a few steps forward, pulling her into a warm embrace.

"Hey," the taller girl whispered, running a hand through Max's hair. Each day without Chloe had been getting slightly less hard, but the first hug of the afternoon always made Max feel like she could breathe again or something.

"What's up with the bag?" Max asked after the two of them had enjoyed their moment. Chloe grinned down at her, releasing her to reach back for the duffel before taking her hand and walking over toward the dorms.

"Well, since it's the weekend and all, and you don't need to be out of bed early or anything, I figured I'd spend tonight and tomorrow night here with you," Chloe explained, "I mean, I guess I just kinda assumed that'd be okay. But it is, right?" Max felt elated.

"Of course it's fine with me!" she replied, squeezing Chloe's hand, "But what about Joyce? She's been kind of paranoid about you since we've gotten back." Not that Max really blamed her. She'd seemed really worried about Chloe, and really relieved to have her back, so she didn't seem likely to ease up all of a sudden. Plus, David might have told her about what had been happening back in the Fall, which definitely wouldn't set her mind at ease about the safety of her child…

"Eh, she dragged her feet, but it's not like she can stop me," Chloe scoffed, "Like, I guess she could threaten to kick me out, but that seems counterproductive. 'Don't spend a weekend away from home, or else you can't come home ever!' She caved, and she won't give me much crap about it so long as I text her that I'm fine tomorrow afternoon." Max did wish that Chloe would be more considerate of her mom, but on the other hand she was excited about spending a few nights together.

"Well, I'm glad I get to cuddle you all night," Max sighed, smiling over at Chloe, "I should thank Joyce next time I see her, but maybe she'd rather not think about it too hard…" Chloe snickered.

"Yeah, she's been sort of awkward about the two of us," Chloe remarked, "I mean, she likes you, of course. I think that me being with you all weekend is part of why she didn't try too hard to stop me. That, and she knows David's in charge of security. And I don't think she's got enough denial in her body to have thought I was a nun or something before you came back to town. But I feel like in her head she still remembers you as a tween, and so it's weird to her that we're doing it." Max blushed, but only a little. She was mostly past caring much when Chloe was crass and casual talking about sex, but the added element of Joyce knowing made it a little uncomfortable still.

"Let's just be glad we get a few nights together," Max suggested, changing the subject, "Maybe I'll even get the chance to introduce you to everybody this weekend!" They stepped into the dorm building and started up the stairs.

"That'd be cool," Chloe agreed as they climbed the steps, "It'd be good for them to have a face to put to my voice." Max sighed and Chloe snickered, and they stepped out of the stairwell and into the hallway. Dana's door was open, and Max could hear her and Juliet talking inside. Maybe she'd wait until there were people just in the TV Lounge or something, Max decided.

"Hey, Max!" Juliet called as Max and Chloe walked past the opened door. So much for that, Max thought.

"Oh, hey, Juliet," Max greeted, turning towards the room and stepping into the doorway, "Hey, Dana." The tall cheerleader sat cross-legged on her bed while Juliet lounged on the couch, both looking pretty relaxed after their first week back. Upon seeing Max in the door, with Chloe in tow, Dana smiled and raised her eyebrows.

"So this is your girlfriend, I take it?" she remarked, examining Chloe.

"Um, yeah," Max replied, "This is Chloe Price. I've been dating her for a little over three months now. Chloe, this is Dana Ward and Juliet Watson."

"Hey there," Chloe greeted, waving, "After your fun little letter, it's nice to meet you in person." Dana and Juliet looked confused for a moment, then laughed. Max felt her face heat up a bit, but tried her best to shrug it off.

"Yeah, sorry about that," Dana said once her laughter died down, "I mean, we all thought it was pretty funny, though, but sorry if it embarrassed you or something." She glanced over at Max's blushing face.

"No, it's, um, it's fine," Max conceded, shaking her head, "Sorry that we're, uh, loud, I guess…" Dana snickered, and Juliet shrugged.

"Max, I _promise_ that you are not the first person to ever have sex in this dorm," the reporter laughed, "Like, me and Zach fooled around in my room a bunch." She crinkled her nose at the mention of her old boyfriend. "And I can personally vouch for Taylor getting some action, too."

"Plus, you don't know what awkward sex noise _is_ until you've been to a cheerleading competition overnight," Dana added, "Pack a bunch of us into a Hyatt, and we're randy little mofos." It wasn't helping all that much, but Max was at least glad that Dana and Juliet didn't seem to be particularly bothered by her and Chloe's noise. It was still embarrassing, of course, but it sounded like she wasn't at risk of being ostracized.

They chatted for a little bit longer, mostly just making small talk. As usual with new people, Chloe was vague about the details of her and Max's recent past, which was just as well. The truth about Rachel Amber, Nathan, and Mr. Jefferson was starting to get pieced together out of all the rumors flying around, but Max would just as soon spare everyone the gruesome details. She and Chloe had mainly just been giving people the PG version of their courtship, explaining they reconnected after Max moved back, and that escaping together in the storm was the catalyst for their relationship.

"We're doing a party tomorrow night as a 'welcome back' sort of thing," Dana explained after a little while, "Nothing too huge, just sodas and snack mix in the multipurpose room, but it'd be cool if you could make it."

"Now with 100% less Nathan Prescotts," Juliet added, "We're still stuck with most of these other douchenozzles, but it's gonna be a lot more relaxed without his rapey eyes all over us." Max raised her eyebrows, Chloe gritted her teeth at the name, and Dana gasped.

"Shit, Juliet, that's a little harsh," the cheerleader scolded, "Like, you're not _wrong_ , but the dude just died like a few months ago…"

"Please," Juliet scoffed in reply, "I'm not going to pretend he was anything other than a creeper with a trust-fund just because he took a hurricane to the face."

"Sure, we'll, um, we'll see you then," Max cut in as she and Chloe started to shuffle further down the hall and away from Dana's open door, "Thanks!" She'd just as soon not be around for this.

"Cool, yeah, can't wait!" Dana replied, turning to see them off before returning to Juliet, "Yeah, but you're not supposed to talk shit about dead people for a while, even if they _were_ handsy!" They continued to argue back and forth as Max took Chloe's hand and hastily led her down the hall.

"So yeah, that was Dana and Juliet," Max stated once she and Chloe were safely in her room, "They're cool, mostly." Chloe nodded and smiled a little, but didn't speak. Instead, she just set her duffel on the ground in front of Max's dresser and plopped down on the couch.

"Are you okay?" Max asked, sitting down next to her, "Just, with- Are you okay?" She'd noticed how Chloe had snarled a little at the mention of Nathan.

"Weirdly, yeah," Chloe replied, shrugging a little, "Like, it feels validating how Nathan being a bastard is an open secret or something at Blackwell. That memorial fund thing isn't fooling people. Or, not them, anyway."

"I guess with him out of the picture, people are less afraid to speak up," Max remarked, "With Jefferson's trial and stuff, the truth will come out eventually anyway, but there have been rumors flying around all week about him. Mostly unflattering ones." Chloe grinned with a look of bitter triumph, then let her face soften.

"Enough about him, though," the blue haired girl said, waving a dismissive hand, "Let's focus on something happier." Max nodded her agreement, scooting in closer to the taller girl and snuggling up beside her.

"Like how we don't have so sleep alone tonight?" she asked, holding Chloe tight and nuzzling against her shoulder. She felt the familiar touch of Chloe's hand running through her hair, and it made her feel almost entranced.

"Sure," Chloe murmured, touching her lips to Max's forehead, "Or how you're gonna be the first thing I get to see tomorrow morning." Max smiled and tilted her head up to look at Chloe.

"My pillow feels weird," Max noted, trying to make her voice as sweet and gentle as she could, "I've missed resting against your chest while I sleep." Chloe grinned, then blushed a little.

"I've, um, I've just been going to bed holding one of my pillows and pretending it's you," she admitted, glancing away sheepishly before quickly returning her gaze to Max, "I zipped up your hoodie on it and everything." Max couldn't help but giggle a little at that, amused at the dorky sweetness of it all.

"We're hopeless," Max sighed, staring into the piercing blue of Chloe's eyes, "I have no idea how long-distance couples survive!"

"A lot of 'em don't, I think," Chloe replied, smiling down at the brunette, "As couples, I mean. It'd probably help to be older, you know? Not horny teenagers and shit." Max snorted a little.

"Yeah, that might help," Max agreed, rolling her eyes a little, "We _might_ have developed some unsustainable habits in Seattle…" Chloe raised her eyebrows and smirked.

"Eh, no regrets here," she whispered, resting her hand against Max's cheek, "Not about getting used to making out with you all day and night. Speaking of…" She leaned in for a kiss, and Max eagerly accepted. They had a solid forty eight hours together, she figured, and she was more than happy to start the way she meant to carry on.


	60. Welcome Back

The best part of sleeping over in Max's room had been just cuddling her, Chloe decided. Like, screwing a bunch was great, too, but they screwed even when she was just visiting for the afternoon. But it just felt so _right_ to feel the little brunette nestled against her, warm and safe.

"I'm not gonna let anything happen to you," she had whispered after Max had fallen asleep, "I'm gonna keep you safe. Nobody can hurt you." Never mind that Max hadn't actually said anything about feeling especially scared. She couldn't hear her, anyway, unless all that stuff about influencing dreams was legit. It was kind of more to calm herself down that Chloe had said that. She couldn't save Rachel, but hell if she was gonna let anything happen to her Max.

Which was why she felt so on edge at the Blackwell party on Saturday night. The multipurpose room was pretty well-lit, and the music was just someone's iPod hooked up to speakers at one end of the room. The only drinks were cans of soda, and most people seemed more interested in taking time to catch up than really get crazy. There were even a few teachers in the room, supervising, not schmoozing. All in all, the whole thing was pretty innocuous, but Chloe was still on alert.

"Just relax, Chloe," Max whispered as Chloe scanned the room, "Everything's fine! Let's just get some sodas and I'll introduce you to people. It'll be fun!"

"As you wish," Chloe muttered, following after Max.

"I do wish, Wesley," Max replied, grinning back at Chloe. Good, she'd gotten the reference. "I wanna show you off." Chloe smiled in spite of herself. Max knew how to play her like a fiddle.

Max stepped up to one of the big coolers and opened it, pulling out two cokes and handing one to Chloe. After taking a moment to inspect it, Chloe opened the can, satisfied by the sound of a seal breaking. She didn't exhale until she heard the seal on Max's can break, too. It was safe.

"Oh hey, Max!" said a tall girl with dark-ish purple hair, "Glad you could make it to the 'welcome back' shindig." She motioned around the room. "It's a lot nicer than those Vortex Club things, though, at least."

"Hi, Alyssa!" Max greeted, smiling and turning to face the purple haired girl, "Yeah, it's a lot more relaxed." Alyssa nodded her agreement and then took a second to look Chloe up and down.

"And who's your friend?" she asked, dwelling for a moment on Chloe's dyed hair. Max reached down to take Chloe's hand.

"This is Chloe," Max explained matter-of-factly, "She and I have been dating for a few months." Alyssa raised her eyebrows.

"Oh, I'd, uh, heard you had gotten a girlfriend," she remarked, "Congrats, I guess." Chloe couldn't quite tell whether the hint of ambivalence in her voice was from envy or disapproval, but it wasn't really her problem either way.

"Thanks," Max replied, "It's been a promising few months, so far. I think I'll keep her!"

"Well, you're a lucky one," Alyssa said to Chloe, smiling some, "Max here has a rep as the Blackwell guardian angel. She might even save your life one day!"

"Maybe," Chloe agreed, stifling knowing laughter, "But yeah, I'm really happy with her." Max and Alyssa caught up for a few minutes, before parting ways.

After that, they spent some time making their way around the room, with Max chatting with her classmates and introducing them to Chloe. A few of the students who'd been at Blackwell all four years of high school recognized her from before she was expelled, but most of Max's friends were transfers like her. The Stella girl was quiet but really gracious to Chloe, and Brooke seemed weirdly triumphant about Max dating Chloe. Fine with her. Kate Marsh was pretty adorable, and did a good job being friendly even while trying to hide being flustered. She didn't hide it _well_ , granted, but it was nice that she made an effort.

Then there was Warren. Based on what Max had told her, and even just what she'd seen back in October, Chloe was pretty sure that Warren had a massive crush on Max. Or _had_ , at least. Maybe he'd gotten over it in the intervening months.

Chloe really wasn't sure what to think of Warren. He'd helped her and Max out with their little Blackwell heist, which was nice, and anyone who'd kicked the crap out of Nathan Prescott won some points with her. But a dude who kicked the crap out of one guy might try and kick the crap out of someone else, too. Someone attacking Max pissed him off enough to get violent, and that had been really useful, and maybe even noble. But would rejection have that same effect? Would jealousy? Max said he was harmless, and he'd definitely come off as a standup guy, but her recent past didn't leave Chloe eager to give any guys the benefit of the doubt.

"Max! Great to see you!" Warren exclaimed, beaming as Max and Chloe approached, "And Chloe, right?" He was smiling like a dork at both of them, and seemed pretty genuine. Her caution didn't evaporate, but Chloe felt a little calmer.

"That's me," Chloe replied, "Max's Watson and designated snugglebunny." She glanced over and was amused to see Max's cheeks turn a little pink.

"Yeah, I saw the Facebook announcement after Thanksgiving," Warren remarked. He still seemed friendly and aloof, so that was good. "But you two were hanging out back in October, too. Were you a thing back then and just keeping it under wraps? If I'd've known, I, uh, I wouldn't have pushed the 'Planet of the Apes' marathon so hard." He glanced back at Chloe. "Or I would have invited you, too, Chloe." Max sort of shuffled her feet. Shooting people down, even retroactively, wasn't much fun, Chloe knew.

"Nah, we didn't take the plunge until a little after that storm hit," Chloe explained, trying to save Max some hassle, "Stuff'd been percolating for a bit, but nah, we weren't secret dating or anything back then." Warren hadn't dropped his casual friendliness at any point, but Chloe's assurances did seem to relax him slightly, even if it was hard to pinpoint. Maybe he was just happy to think he'd had a chance, even if it hadn't panned out.

"Chloe and I grew up together," Max added, "When I came back to town for Blackwell, we started hanging out again."

"I mean, that makes sense," Warren remarked, shrugging and taking a sip of his Mountain Dew, "I could tell there was a lot going on between you even back in the few times I ran into you both together. Trust me, I'm an expert in chemistry!" They all laughed a little at his joke, and Chloe relaxed some more. Warren wasn't gonna get her "all clear" just for being genial for a few minutes, but his endorsement of their relationship was a good sign. If he was planning to start shit, he'd have been dismissive, or called it just a fling. That's what Chloe would have done, anyway.

Just like with everybody else, Max chatted with Warren for a bit, making small talk and catching up about the long break. Chloe got involved in this conversation more than the other ones, partially because Max and Warren made sure to include her, but also because she took the initiative to interject sometimes. After a little while, the girl with the dyed red streak in her hair- Brooke?- called Warren over, and he said a hasty goodbye.

They continued to make the rounds, although it seemed like they were nearing the bottom of the list. Max made an effort to go and check up on Victoria, who was surrounded by her posse. Courtney and Taylor, maybe? They both seemed kind of bitchy, but the blonde one was a bit friendlier. For all that she had heard about Victoria, Chloe expected her to be bitchier, but the queen bee seemed to have cooled off some with the death of her roofie-happy counterpart. Or maybe her bitchiness had just been exaggerated from the get-go. Whatever the reason, she was still a little prissy, but not as bad as Chloe had expected. In particular, she perked up and got a lot kinder when it came up that David Madsen was Chloe's stepdad.

The party, such as it was, seemed set to keep going for a little while yet, but Max started drifting towards the door once she'd talked to everyone she knew. That was just fine with Chloe, of course. She didn't mind being Max's plus-one, but she wasn't into the party for its own sake. Get some more punk, less pop and R&B, maybe throw in a moshpit or something, and maybe then she'd be more enthusiastic.

Even though the little "welcome back" mixer hadn't exactly been a rager, it was loud enough between the music and general white noise of conversation that the hallways seemed almost eerily quiet by comparison. Ironically, Chloe felt more at ease out there in the dark and quiet than in the room full of students. An empty room can't hurt you, after all.

"So, they all seemed nice," Chloe remarked once they were back in Max's room. She'd only really had passing interactions with everyone, but that felt like the thing you're supposed to say after meeting someone's friends. Max smiled and shrugged.

"They are, mostly," she agreed, settling down on her couch and patting the spot next to her, "Victoria and her subjects can be pretty awful, but maybe she's getting better." Chloe sat down beside Max on the couch and put an arm around the brunette.

"Yeah, she was weirdly nice to me after I mentioned David's married to my mom," Chloe noted, "Does she just lock-on to the nearest authority figure with facial hair or something?" Max was quiet for a second.

"I think he saved her from the Dark Room," she explained after a moment, voice so even she had to be making an effort, "In- In the other timeline, when Jefferson kidnapped me, he had Victoria in there, too, and he killed her, I think. David saved me in that timeline, but in this one, since we were safe and tipped him off, he must have saved her instead." Well, damn. Thinking about it, that actually did kind of make sense, Chloe figured.

"Well, glad he managed to bust Jefferson," Chloe said, "But anyway, you seem well-liked, so that's cool." Max shrugged, smiling and snuggling into Chloe's side.

"It _is_ nice to hear that people like me," Max admitted, "I'm not exactly a social butterfly, but I did manage to use my powers to help people out with my powers and stuff. You're not the only accident prone girl in town, it turns out."

"Whatever the reason, you've managed to get 'em to like you, so hurray for that," Chloe replied, "Some _really_ like you, I think. Like Warren."

"Yeah, Warren's sort of a puppy," Max conceded, "But it looks like he and Brooke finally hooked up, so that's solved." No wonder Brooke had seemed so pleased Max was dating a girl, Chloe thought.

"I'll have to send her some cookies or something," Chloe remarked, "As a thank you for neutralizing my competition." Max sighed, but it didn't sound too exasperated. At least, that was how Chloe decided to interpret it.

"Chloe, you don't _have_ any competition," Max explained, "There's nobody I want more than you. There's nobody I want _but_ you!" Smiling, Chloe, turned and kissed Max's forehead.

"That's what I like to hear," she murmured, running her hand through Max's hair. Chloe knew in her head that she had nothing to worry about, and really she more or less knew that in her heart, too. But dammit, she just couldn't get enough affirmation! She'd spent a few years as "that punk chick who'll put out," and then some time as Rachel's experimental fuckbuddy. It wasn't noble or glamorous, but after three years of emotional neglect, Chloe wasn't above fishing for a few compliments.

"Oh, I know what you like to hear," Max whispered in a teasing tone, nuzzling against Chloe for a moment before shifting around to straddle her, "You like to hear that I'm yours." Chloe smiled at Max, meeting her gaze and remaining silent.

"You like to hear that my heart belongs to you," Max went on, her voice soft and sweet as she pressed herself close and spoke into Chloe's ear, "And you like to hear how you're my first and only." Chloe bit her lip as Max continued to press against her and murmur into her ear. "You like to hear that I think you're stunning." "-that your touch drives me wild." "-how I could kiss you for hours and still want more."

"That's enough," Chloe interjected after a while, beaming and wiping away a couple of tears as Max sat back a little to look at her, "I don't want this to get too one-sided, y'know?" Max smiled back at her, and leaned in for a gentle kiss.

"You know, everybody else is still down at that party," Max noted, a mischievous smile crossing her face as she slowly stood and walked over to her bed, "No need to worry about disturbing anybody or anything." She lay down on her side and beckoned. That was all the encouragement Chloe needed, and she hopped to her feet and onto the bed in a heartbeat.

"So, you're mine, you say?" Chloe asked, her voice teasing as she rolled Max onto her back and crouched over her. Max grinned and nodded.

"And you say my touch drives you wild?" Again Max nodded, more vigorously this time. Slowly, Chloe slid her hands up under Max's shirt and then traced her fingers along the shorter girl's belly, prompting a shiver and a quiet moan.

"Well," Chloe whispered, leaning down to put her lips near Max's ear as she continued to stroke and tease the brunette, "Right back at you."


	61. The Best Part of Waking Up

**A/N: A shorter, fluffier entry, lest we get too bogged down in plot.**

Max awoke feeling well-rested. Having Chloe in bed with her kept her sleeping peacefully all through the night, and it certainly kept her warmer. Of course it couldn't _actually_ happen, but Max amused herself by wondering if she could petition Blackwell to let her move Chloe into the dorm room for health reasons.

She'd just have to settle for the occasional sleepover for the next few months, though, she knew. After that, though, who knew? Well, she and Chloe _sort of_ knew some of the broad strokes of their future, mainly just that they stuck together and had kids. Keeping that in mind was comforting, but it still left the more immediate future pretty vague.

Max sort of assumed that she and Chloe would live together as soon as she was out of school, but that was as far as she'd planned. A crappy studio apartment would be, well, crappy, but at least they'd have a roof over their heads. If Chloe could put a trailer hitch on her truck, maybe they could get one of those tinyhouse trailers! That would really have less actual space than a studio, but Max thought tinyhouses were cute.

Regardless, they'd have to live through the next few months before dealing with any of that. It was going to get easier to be apart as time went on though, right? Max had cried that first night alone, and the subsequent nights had improved slightly, but only just. It _had_ to get easier, she told herself. Homework would pile up, and she'd end up just exhausted and collapsing into bed. She wouldn't lie awake feeling like she was missing half of herself.

In the meantime, she'd just savor this morning with Chloe, Max decided. As carefully as she could, Max slipped out of Chloe's arms and propped herself up on her side beside the taller girl. Chloe looked so pretty lying there. Well, Max _always_ thought she looked pretty, but especially when she was all asleep and peaceful and stuff.

From what she'd said, it sounded like the last week hadn't been easy on Chloe, either. Really, it was probably worse. At least Max had school to fill her day; Chloe seemed to mostly just putter around until three thirty. She'd held Max really tight last night and the night before, and their lovemaking had felt more… Desperate? That wasn't quite it. Intense, maybe? It had reminded her of the way they'd made love in the days just after the big storm. Not quite to that magnitude, but it had felt like sort of that same mix of emotions. Maybe absence really _did_ make the heart grow fonder. It certainly seemed to make her hornier…

Gently, Max leaned down and nuzzled her cheek against Chloe's and nudging with her forehead. There wasn't any pressing need for the taller girl to wake up, but Max was getting impatient. It was fun to just lie there gazing at Chloe, sure, but their weekend together had a time limit, and she didn't want to waste the morning sleeping in. "Sleeping in," maybe, but not _actually_ sleeping!

"Mmmm. Morning," Chloe greeted once she'd begun to stir. Max smiled and settled down some, lightly brushing strands of blue hair out of Chloe's face as her eyes fluttered open.

"Good morning," Max replied as sweetly as she could, "Sorry to wake you up. It's just that I, um, I want some kisses." Chloe gave a sleepy grin and leaned up, fumbling for a moment before her lips met Max's.

"I've missed this sort of thing this week," Chloe murmured, pulling Max close to herself with one arm around the smaller girl's waist, and the other hand resting on the back of her neck.

"Me too," Max agreed, drawing a hand down from Chloe's shoulder and along her chest. Max loved the feeling of Chloe's warm body smooshed up against her. She loved the feeling of their lips pressing together. She loved the feeling of Chloe's breasts beneath her hands.

"This is the best way to start the day," Chloe declared, speaking breathlessly between kisses, "Fuck coffee and balanced breakfasts and shit." Max snorted and started to kiss along Chloe's neck.

"Waking up definitely sucks less with you around," she conceded, "Although it won't help me get out of bed…"

"Oh, it had better not," Chloe teased in reply, rolling Max onto her back and shifting up on top of her, "You wake me up for kisses, you're gonna get kisses and then some!"

"That _was_ the hope, yeah," Max answered, closing her eyes and inhaling sharply as Chloe nipped at the base of her neck.

Even though Chloe had been visiting every afternoon since they'd gotten back, there was something Max particularly liked about making love in the morning. Or even just making out. Both were good, on their own and together. So long as the day started off with plenty of affection, Max would be happy. And that morning, Max was very happy.


	62. Same Old Places

The new Two Whales wasn't the same. Sure, someone had put in work to make it have the same sort of old-timey diner look, but old-timey was supposed to look old because it was, well, old. The Two Whales she remembered had felt broken in. The bathroom had had graffiti, the jukebox had always been on the fritz, and some of the seat cushions were torn up, but it had sort of a _soul._ It had been an Arcadia Bay institution, at least as much as the shitty little town had any. It was a place where she'd eaten "pamcapes" when she was a little kid. It was a place where she'd hung out with Max and learned about her powers. It was a place where she'd hung out with Rachel, too… This new place might be named "The Two Whales Diner," but it wasn't _the_ Two Whales, as far as Chloe was concerned.

The food was good though, Chloe had to admit. Mom had been rehired as soon as the place was built, she'd said, and it sounded like most of the old staff had been picked up, too. So sure, maybe the building was different, but at least there were the same faces inside. Same cooks, same waitresses, same yokels. And her and Max.

The brunette sat across from Chloe, nibbling on a strip of bacon. Having already finished her own food, Chloe slouched in her seat and felt around with her foot. Finding one of Max's feet, she began to prod and caress it with her own. Max jumped a little, startled, and then blushed when she realized what was happening, which amused Chloe to no end. Max had been getting all kinds of frisky last night and that morning, and here she was blushing over a little footsie.

"You love it," Chloe teased, grinning across the table as she continued to play with Max's feet. The brunette glanced around for a moment and then met Chloe's gaze. With a shy smile, she nodded and began to move her feet against Chloe's. She ended up actually just kicking Chloe in the shins a couple of times and stepping on her toes before she figured it out, but it was a nice thought.

"I love _you_ ," the brunette replied, reaching across the table to rest her hand on Chloe's, "Sorry, um, that I'm not good at playing footsies…" She bit her bottom lip, and Chloe sighed and shrugged.

"Eh, we'll figure it out," she assured, "We're already cutesy as shit, so perfecting footsie can't be that hard." Max laughed a little and smiled more broadly.

"So, what else should we do today?" Max asked, "I'm all yours." It was Chloe's turn to smile. Maybe it wasn't healthy to feel possessive. Blahblah modern relationships blahblah free spirits blahblah boundaries and shit. But she loved it whenever Max described herself as _hers_. Chloe knew enough to fight the temptation to plant a bunch of hickeys all over Max's neck and stuff, and she couldn't just stamp "Belongs to Chloe Price" on her forehead of slap a collar on her- probably- but just hearing Max say that filled her with pride. Well, pride and purpose. Before she'd just kind of been aimless, but now she had something- some _one_ \- to live for.

"I guess we can't just sit around here until the lunch menu kicks in," Chloe conceded, only half joking, "It's not too chilly out. We could go for a walk if you want. Anywhere you like." Max smiled at her, and thought for a moment.

"Would it, um, would it be too weird to go out for a walk on the beach and then up to the lighthouse?" Max wondered aloud, glancing away sheepishly. Chloe raised her eyebrows and sat in stunned silence for a moment. She'd spent enough time over the last few years bumming around the beach and lighthouse smoking joints and buying her weed that it hadn't been cemented in her mind as The Spot Where Everything Fell Apart- that dubious honor went to the junkyard for Chloe- but she'd kind of assumed it had been for Max.

"I mean, if you want," Chloe managed to stammer after a moment, "It's fine with me. Just so long as you're sure." Max nodded.

"Yeah, I'm sure," the brunette declared resolutely, looking determined. Chloe shrugged.

"Coolcool. I'll just settle us up, and we can head out." She glanced at the bill Mom had brought out, and left a twenty on the table. That'd be enough to cover breakfast and tip, she figured.

Chloe couldn't help but notice how the door didn't catch like the old one did as she pushed it open for her and Max. The glass wasn't scuffed from years of taped up posters, either. Maybe she'd get past it eventually, she thought to herself, but the new Two Whales just felt weird for being so fresh.

They chitchatted as they walked along the path, hand in hand. It was like fifty degrees out, but the wind off the ocean did make it feel chillier, which was a bummer. What was less of a bummer was how Max huddled close to Chloe whenever there was a gust. That was just fine.

Max sort of quieted down when they reached the foot of the slope leading up to the lighthouse. As they climbed she continued to talk, but Chloe was definitely carrying the conversation at that point. Max's voice was a little too even and calm, like she was forcing it. Thinking about it, though, Chloe figured she probably was. Heavy shit had gone down here, and not too long ago. But Max had been the one to suggest this place, so Chloe just went along with it.

When they got up to the top of the slope, Max fell silent and let go of Chloe's hand. Slowly, she started to walk towards the cliffside, and terror leapt up in Chloe's chest for a second. But the brunette stopped well clear of the edge, just sort of looking out over the beach and down at the town. Carefully, Chloe stepped up behind her and wrapped her arms around the shorter girl's shoulders and chest, holding her close. In response, Max brought one hand up to gently rub along Chloe's arms.

"It's weird," Max mumbled, "From here, it sort of looks like the same old Arcadia Bay, like nothing even happened." After a moment, Chloe could feel Max trembling against her. As the wind died down for a second, she could hear Max crying a little, too. She'd kind of been expecting something like this, but that didn't make it any less upsetting to have her Max crying.

"It wasn't your fault," Chloe whispered, leaning down to lightly rub her cheek against the side of Max's head, "Even if you'd tried, you couldn't have stopped it." Max didn't say anything, but she did shift around to turn and face Chloe before burying her face in the taller girl's shoulder. At a loss for what else to do, Chloe just squeezed her tight.

"I know that _now_ ," Max said quietly, voice muffled a little, "But, like, at the time I was so torn up. I chose you over Arcadia Bay, and I'd do it again, but it kills me to think that I almost let you die for nothing!" That was a sobering thought, Chloe had to admit. Now wasn't the time to grapple with her own mortality, though. Not with a crying Max in her arms.

"But you didn't, and we're both fine," Chloe reassured her, bringing one hand up to gently wipe tears from Max's face, "I'm safe, and you're safe, and it's all okay. If you had, things'd be even worse! Nathan would be arrested and alive, and there'd be no 'memorial fund' to rebuild the town." And she'd be dead, Chloe thought to herself.

"I know, I know," Max replied, seeming a little more steady now as she rested her head back down against Chloe's shoulder, "But he's not, and you are, and that's what matters. You're all that matters." They stood there in silence for a minute or two, holding each other tight.

"Max, why did you wanna come here?" Chloe asked after a little while, "Like, if it's still all raw for you, why'd you wanna come back up here and relive everything?" Max looked up at her and bit her lip, taking a moment before speaking.

"Because this is _our_ place," she explained, "This is where we ran around and played pirates as kids. This is where we came on the day we met up again. This is where-" She paused to take a few deep breaths and collect herself again. "This is where I chose you over Arcadia Bay. This cliff and these woods are full of love, and I'm not going to let anything ruin it for me by keeping me away." Chloe could feel her face warming up, and she smiled down at her Max. That all made sense.

"I get that," Chloe replied, squeezing Max close again and leaning down to steal a kiss, "And I'm glad you're willing to face your fears and shit to save our special spot. That's really brave." Max smiled up at her and craned her neck for another kiss.

"I mean, I'm pretty sure we buried some treasure up here someplace," Max pointed out, smiling, "So if nothing else, I don't want to lose that." Chloe snorted and grinned, glad Max had recovered enough to make jokes.

"Ooh, I found it!" Chloe teased, sliding her hands down Max's back and to her butt, "I found your booty!" Max groaned and rolled her eyes, but kept on smiling. Letting go of Chloe's waist, she leaned back a little and pressed her hands against Chloe's tits.

"Yeah, well, now I've got ahold of your chest," Max replied, a cheeky grin crossing her face, "So I guess we're even."

 **A/N: I've just started my week of MA exams, so the next chapter might be delayed further than usual...**


	63. One Week Down

Saying goodbye to Chloe always sucked. Like, that first night back in Arcadia Bay had been the roughest, but all the other evenings hadn't been fun, either. On Monday night, Max had gone with Chloe out to the truck, and on Tuesday she'd walked her as far as the main gate. Chloe had seen herself out of the building on Wednesday and Thursday, but that had still felt weird and awkward. On Sunday evening, though, Max stood at her window to look down into the courtyard, watching for Chloe.

Max had seen Chloe every single day for the last three and a half months. For most of that time, she'd spent her every waking hour, and all her non-waking ones, with Chloe, even. Maybe it was the photographer in her, though, but Max always loved to catch a glimpse of Chloe when the taller girl thought nobody was watching.

Sure enough, she caught sight of Chloe trudging along the path after a moment. The blue haired girl slouched as she walked, and she had her hands jammed in her pockets. She didn't hang her head, exactly, but her eyes were cast down. Max couldn't quite tell if she was sad, or just sort of scrunched up against the cold. Flattering as it was to think her Chloe already missed her, Max hoped she wasn't too bummed. The last thing she wanted was for Chloe to get into a misery spiral.

Once Chloe was out of view, Max slumped down at her desk. Just like that, her weekend with Chloe was over, and she was alone again. Tonight felt better than last Sunday. She didn't feel like she wanted to cry, anyway. That was _sort of_ an improvement, right? She sighed and reached out for the beanie Chloe had given her, pressing it to her chest.

It wasn't that late, she figured. Just a little after nine, so everyone was probably still awake. Max had never been a social butterfly or anything, but she wanted someone to talk to and hang out with, at least for a little while. She was never going to get used to being apart from Chloe if she just spent all her time feeling sorry for herself, she figured. With what felt like monumental effort, Max rose from her chair and walked out of her room.

Max could hear chatter in the TV lounge from down the hall, and the muffled sound of a violin coming from behind Kate's door. It made Max smile to hear Kate playing again. Like, she'd always enjoyed hearing the little blonde practicing her violin, but it was especially comforting considering what all had gone down in October. Kate probably wasn't completely recovered yet, of course- Max sure as hell wasn't- but at least she'd improved some.

Hanging out in a group wasn't really what Max wanted just then. Plus, she'd missed Kate most out of any of her Blackwell friends over the Fall and Winter, and she'd been hoping for a chance to catch up with her. After taking another minute to just enjoy listening to the violin music, Max knocked on Kate's door.

"Oh, h-hi, Max!" Kate greeted, smiling as she opened her door, "What can I do for you?" She'd already changed into her T-shirt and pajama pants, and she'd let her hair down, too. Kate was never _uptight_ , per se, but she was generally pretty composed, and so it was kind of fun to see her looking more relaxed.

"I was wondering if you wanted to hang out, actually," Max explained, "Maybe have a cup of tea or something, and just talk. I've been so busy with Chloe that I haven't really had time to catch up with you." Kate smiled and stepped back, holding the door open to let Max in. Nodding in thanks, Max stepped into the room and sat on the couch along the wall.

"I have some nice sleepytime tea, if you'd like some of that," Kate said, stepping over to the chest of drawers her little electric kettle sat on, "I'll go fill this up, and I'll be right back!" The little blonde scurried out of the room, and Max was left alone again.

Kate's room was a lot cheerier than the last time she'd seen it, Max noted. The mirror was uncovered, the lamps were turned on, and everything was tidy. Even the bunny seemed livelier, having lopped out from her little house to peer out at Max through the bars of her cage. She'd only taken care of the rabbit for a couple of days, but Max wondered if the little animal remembered her as a source of food and pets.

"Okay, it'll just be a few minutes," Kate reported, returning with the kettle and setting it on its base to heat, "So, how have you been? We got to talk a little on Monday, and then last night at the party, but not in much detail." She pulled the chair out from her desk and turned it to face her couch, sitting down and settling in.

"I've been really good," Max replied, "Just getting back into the groove of classes and stuff. Chloe's been visiting every afternoon, which is nice, but it sucks when she has to go every night." Kate frowned a little.

"Oh, yes, it's not fun to have to say goodbye to your sweetheart," she agreed, nodding, "At least, I'd assume." Gingerly, she reached out and awkwardly patted Max on the shoulder.

"We'll get used to it," Max went on, smiling appreciatively at Kate's effort, "Most couples that don't actually live together probably only see each other a few times a week, so we'll live."

"Do you think she'll be visiting less, then?" Kate asked, slightly pointedly. Max was confused for a moment until she remembered the note she and Chloe had gotten on Monday.

"Yeah, probably," Max replied, "Um, sorry if we've, uh, sort of been bothering you." Kate blushed a little, and broke eye contact.

"I t-try not to focus on anything I hear," the little blonde stated, "It's n-none of my business." She continued to fidget, not looking at Max.

"We'll try and keep it down," Max assured, "I know that's not stuff you want to be listening to." Kate smiled sheepishly.

"Thank you," she mumbled, "I, um, I don't want to be a spoil-sport or anything. I know that's how people can see me sometimes…" Max shook her head.

"It's fine," Max said, putting on what she hoped was her friendliest smile, "Mom and Dad asked us to keep it down, too, so I guess this is just a problem of ours." Kate's eyebrows shot up and she stared at Max in astonishment.

"Your parents _know_?!" Kate asked incredulously, leaning forward and taking on a sort of excited, conspiratorial tone, "They know about you and Chloe? That you're, um-"

"Lesbians?" Max finished for her. She still wasn't sure the word quite fit, but it seemed like the simplest label for the moment. "I sort of like boys, but it feels like I mostly like girls, or maybe I just sort of like everybody but mostly just Chloe. I don't know. Feelings are complicated. I used time-travel powers to come back from the future and tell her that we stay together for the long haul, so it doesn't even matter, anyway," was a bit of a mouthful. Besides, Kate was making a great effort of being non-judgmental and understanding, but Max suspected that the Purity Club president's understanding of sex and love might be limited to a "married straight couple" or "sin" dichotomy.

"I was going to say 'an item,'" Kate mumbled, glancing away again but only for a moment, "But that too, I suppose."

"Yeah, and they were pretty okay with it," Max explained, "My parents are pretty open about all that sort of stuff. Almost to an awkward degree, sometimes." Memories of fidgeting on a couch in the den while Mom sat next to her reading excerpts from _Everyone Has A Naked Body_ flashed in her mind.

"Better than berating you, I suppose," Kate pointed out. Max thought back to the notes she'd read from Kate's family back in October and cringed a little. Things could definitely be a lot worse.

"Yeah," Max mumbled, nodding, "So, um, how has your first week back been? And did you do anything fun over the break?" Kate smiled and began to talk about her few months back home in Massachusetts, getting up to pour water for tea once the kettle was done heating. Apparently her parents and sisters had been really nice and supportive of her the whole time, and she had come back to Blackwell feeling much more cheerful and confident than when she'd left.

After about half an hour, Max's phone buzzed. Apologizing sheepishly to Kate, she checked it and found a text from Chloe. Normally Max didn't like texting while she was actively talking to someone else, but she couldn't really help it; Chloe was always her top priority.

"Home safe," Chloe's text read, "Miss u already. Gonna be up for a while, but text before u go 2 bed?"

"Miss u 2," Max wrote back, "Will def text when I get in bed. Need my goodnite kisses!" She hit send and turned back to Kate.

"Sorry," she mumbled, setting her phone down, "That was Chloe." Kate just smiled at her, looking almost mesmerized and almost perplexed.

"It's alright," Kate replied, shaking out of whatever trance she was in and smiling, "You, um, your face really lit up when you saw her text. And you looked so earnest and sweet writing back to her." Max blushed slightly.

"Yeah, we're kind of cutesy dorks," she admitted, laughing a little.

"It's not what I expected, certainly," Kate replied, sipping her tea. What the hell did _that_ mean?

"Oh?" Max asked, her interest piqued. Kate looked a little sheepish and kept her teacup at her lips for a few seconds longer than normal.

"Well, um, you know I try not to preach at anyone about religion or sex, right?" Kate started, fidgeting a little, "But, um, the same school of thought that says people are supposed to be abstinent before marriage, it also maintains that same-sex attractions are disordered and fundamentally selfish and lustful." Well, that stung, Max thought.

"But the way you and Chloe look at each other, or at least the way you've looked at each other when I've seen you, and how you looked when she texted you, it doesn't really seem like that," Kate went on, "It looks like genuine love. Like, um, like love between a husband and wife is supposed to look, I guess. Does that make any sense?" Max let out a sigh, mostly of relief. She could live with Kate's judgment, but she was glad she maybe wouldn't have to. Plus, it was sort of nice to hear her and Chloe described like that.

"Well, we _are_ in love," Max pointed out, "But yeah, that makes sense." Kate smiled and relaxed a little in her chair.

"Oh, good!" she sighed, "It's difficult to put into words. It just doesn't really _seem_ sinful, you know?" The concept of sin, at least beyond a very loose and casual sense, hadn't really been a thing in Max's house growing up, so she wasn't sure she _did_ know. But she felt like she more or less had a grasp of what Kate was getting at.

"Glad to defy your expectations," Max replied, grinning, "Hope it's not bringing on a crisis of faith or anything, though." Kate smiled and shook her head.

"Not in God, no," she assured, "Just in the men who've interpreted His Word." They kept talking for a while more, their conversation drifting this way and that. It was really nice catching up, and Max was glad Kate had more or less given her blessing for Chloe. After about an hour of talking and tea, they agreed it was getting a little late. Max thanked Kate for the tea, and they said goodnight.

After a few minutes to brush her teeth and go through her nightly routine, Max climbed into bed. Just like the other nights when she and Chloe had been apart, she clutched the beanie tight and held it close. It wasn't Chloe, but it was one of her things. More than that, it was almost her signature, a sort of symbol or totem that was a channel to her. Crap, that was really New Age sounding. Whatever. Max could travel through time, what did she care if something sounded woo-y?

"Ok, im in bed," Max typed on her phone, "It's a lot less fun without u." After a minute or so, her phone lit up with Chloe's response.

"I hear that," she replied, "I'll just kiss u twice as much when I do c u!" Max grinned at the thought.

"Just kiss?" she typed, biting her lip. Text-flirting with Chloe was pretty fun, she found. Not as fun as actually snuggling in real life or anything, but still nice.

"Ull just hav 2 wait nd c," Chloe sent back, "Giv u something 2 dream about." They texted back and forth for a bit longer, with Max pressing the beanie up to her cheek and pretending Chloe could feel her through the hat.

"Ive gotta go 2 sleep soon," Max typed reluctantly after a while, "Sry."

"It's fine," Chloe replied, "Get good sleep nd ace ur classes. Make me proud!" Max smiled. She knew Chloe would love to have her attention all the time, and she wished she could give it, but she was glad that Chloe was trying to be responsible and supportive.

"Will do!" she typed, "See u tmrw?"

"Definitely," Chloe replied, "Same time, same place. Cant wait! (Kisskisskiss) Goodnite!"

"Goodnite!" Max wrote back, "(Kisskisskiss)" After that, her phone fell silent, and she started to drift off. One week down, Max thought to herself. Just a bunch more to go.


	64. Fair

After getting back into town, Chloe had sort of been at loose ends. She'd have loved to see Max every day, but the last thing Chloe wanted to do was suffocate her. Plus, she didn't want to isolate Max from all her friends or distract her too much or anything. Being responsible sucked.

They'd hung out on Wednesday, which had been really great. Snuggling, making out, screwing, snuggling some more. It was awesome. She didn't like being apart from Max for even a couple days at a time, but Chloe did have to admit that that stuff about "absence makes the heart grow fonder" might have something to it.

But it was the weekend, _finally_. This time Max was staying over at the Price-Madsen house, which was fun. Mom had gotten out the extra blankets and pillows to fix up the pullout couch for Max, so it looked like she actually planned on following through with the whole separate beds thing, but whatever. She was a heavy sleeper, and David took sleeping pills, and they were both working tomorrow. There'd be plenty of opportunity for nookie.

After dinner, though, Max and Chloe had gone up to hang out in her room while Mom and David did their old people stuff for a few hours downstairs. Crosswords and sudokus and shit. For their part, she and Max were snuggled up on her bed, watching a movie on her laptop.

It was a lot more relaxed than the last time they'd been together in there, Chloe thought to herself. She didn't really understand all the ins and outs of Max's powers, but apparently Future-Max could come back to specific moments in time, but Max-Max wouldn't remember anything she'd said or done in that moment. Almost like Future-Max was possessing her or something. Weird.

After Max had come back to warn her about how their whole "find Nathan and make him pay" plan ended up, Chloe had had to insist on turning around and going back to her house to tell David what was going on. Max had been confused the whole time, and not really getting all the intricacies of why Chloe had had such a sudden change of heart. Chloe had tried her best to explain, but she hadn't really understood all that well, herself. All she knew was that Future-Max- Or now Past-Future-Max? Ugh, tenses got weird with time travel- had said she'd die and Max would get kidnapped and tortured if they went ahead with the plan. Then the storm hit, and shit went sideways.

This was much nicer, though. No storm coming to wreck the town. No pervy, homicidal teachers on the prowl. Just the two of them snuggled up under a blanket and watching _And Then Came Lola_.

"You're really comfy," Max murmured as the credits rolled, turning her attention from the screen to curl up against Chloe, "Soooooo comfy." She shifted so her legs were over Chloe's lap, and nestled in close. Acting on instinct, Chloe wrapped her arms around the smaller girl and held her close.

"And you're really cuddly," Chloe replied, smiling and lightly pressing a kiss to Max's forehead, "Soooooo cuddly." She began to idly play with Max's hair. Moments like these were perfect, Chloe thought. Snuggling and being cutesy and shit still had certain air of exciting novelty for her, even after months of seeing Max every day. It wasn't something she was sure she could ever "get used to," exactly. Not in the sense of sort of getting numb to it or anything. But being back in Arcadia Bay, and even on her own bed, made it feel even more real. She'd gotten fucked on this bed, but she'd never cuddled on it.

"I love you," Max sighed as she nuzzled against Chloe's neck, "I should say that more. I love you." She was snuggling Max, in her bed, while the little brunette repeatedly professed her love. Chloe had been fantasizing about this exact scenario since she was thirteen. Granted, back at thirteen that had kind of been the extent of the fantasy, but it had since expanded beyond just cuddling and sweet talking.

Gently, Chloe took Max's chin between her thumb and forefinger, tilting her face up. The smaller girl's blue eyes gazed up at Chloe, wide and eager, before slowly closing even as her lips parted. Chloe didn't have any chrono-powers or anything, but in moments like this she felt like time stood still. Every detail of Max's face was in sharp focus, and Chloe could feel warm breath against her face as she leaned in.

"I love you," she whispered back just before her lips met Max's. Then, just like that, they were kissing. For a few moments, Max just melted in Chloe's arms, sinking into the kiss. It wasn't long before she got a little more active, though, her hand wandering from Chloe's shoulder and down to her tits. That was fine by Chloe, and she repaid Max's efforts with a pleased little moan and slid her own hand down along Max's leg.

Suddenly, though, Max pushed herself off Chloe and hastily scooted along the wall so there was a foot or so between them. It felt like a stab in the heart for a second, and Chloe was completely baffled until Mom opened her bedroom door unannounced and without knocking, flicking on the light. Glancing between Max and Chloe, she looked relieved.

"Alright, girls, David and I are about ready to go to sleep," Mom reported, studying the two of them, "So, Max, I'm afraid I'm going to have to ask you to go on down to the pullout couch." Max sighed but did get up from Chloe's bed, stretching as she stood.

"Come on, it's not even that late!" Chloe protested, rolling her eyes, "It's barely after ten!" Mom shook her head.

"The two of you can talk on the phone or text or Skype or snap or whatever kids do these days all night long, as far as I'm concerned," she replied, "But the rule _should_ be no boyfriends or girlfriends alone with you in your room, period. Luckily, I know Max is a nice, well-behaved girl, so I'm willing to bend the rules a _little_." Chloe nearly snorted. She definitely agreed that Max was nice, and honestly the brunette was pretty mild-mannered, too, but she'd also been feeling Chloe up not thirty seconds ago. Mom clearly underestimated Max. Or overestimated. Misjudged. Whatever.

"Oh please, what are you worried about?" Chloe pressed, glaring at her mother, "Neither of us is getting pregnant!"

"Be that as it may, couples don't get to share a bed in this house unless they're married," Mom insisted, "And I know that's exactly what would happen if I leave you two together." Chloe wanted to argue more, but Max coughed and caught her attention. The shorter girl was looking a little pale, and subtly shook her head. Chloe took the hint and sighed in resignation.

"Fine," she grumbled, folding her arms and pouting. Saying goodnight to both Mom and Chloe, Max shuffled out of the room and down the stairs.

"If you were dating a boy, these would be the same rules," Mom explained, still standing by the door, "It's only fair I hold Max to the same standard." Chloe just glared at her. She _wasn't_ dating a boy. She was dating Max. And even though she didn't follow politics too closely, Chloe knew that so long as they were in Oregon she could _only_ be dating Max, so Mom's "unless they're married" rule would always apply. So much for "fair."

"Goodnight, Chloe," Mom said, shrugging and leaving the room.

"Goodnight, Mom," Chloe grumbled back. Partially on her own initiative and partially at Max's encouragement, she'd been trying to be nicer to Mom, even when she was angry. But it was hard…

Mom closed the door behind her, and Chloe was left alone. Muttering to herself, she got off her bed and turned the light back off. As she returned to her bed to pull up YouTube or something, her phone lit up and buzzed with a text from Max.

"Sry I climbed off u all of the sudden," she'd written, "Ur mom walked in on us nd then sort of panicked so I went back to avoid that." Chloe had sort of figured that was what had happened, but it was good to hear it- er, read it- from Max herself. Based on how Max had looked before leaving the room, Chloe guessed she'd had to rewind a couple of times to undo shouting matches. Max still had to look out for her, apparently.

"It's ok," Chloe typed back, "Thx 4 bein careful nd stuf." After a little more texting, they switched over to Facebook chat. It was faster to talk that way, and it felt like they could express themselves better. If nothing else, it was easier to write in complete sentences and stuff. She wasn't sure what Max was doing to pass the time while they chatted, but Chloe tried to write poems. Tried and often failed, but still.

In not too long a time, Chloe could hear faint snoring from across the hall. David was down, and Mom probably was, too. Excellent.

"Looks like my folks are asleep," Chloe typed out, "Do you wanna come on up?"

"YES," came Max's immediate response, "I'll be up in a few minutes. Prepare yourself ;)" Chloe grinned and closed her laptop, hastily getting out of bed to drop it off on her desk. The room was plunged into darkness without the light of the screen, but her eyes quickly adjusted. The moon was at like three-quarters, so she could see well enough.

Settling back on her bed, Chloe hurriedly pulled her clothes off. It'd be hot for Max to walk in on her lying naked in bed waiting for her, right? She tossed her clothes onto a laundry pile in the corner, and then tried to position herself in as alluring a pose as she could. She was going for "open and inviting," but Chloe was well aware there was a good chance she might just look more "lazily sprawled out on bed and slouching on a pile of pillows."

After a minute or so of waiting, Max stepped into the bedroom, carefully closing the door behind her. She didn't speak, but Chloe could see her smiling as she approached. The brunette moved slowly and carefully, moving with measured calm as she kept her eyes fixed on Chloe.

She loved when Max looked at her like that. Plenty of people looked at her like she was sexy, but it was usually in sort of a gross way. Or maybe not even gross, but just sort of reductive way? Like she was there to be fucked. With Max, it felt more special, and like she had somehow been found worthy of a big honor, not like she was going to be used.

"I'd been looking forward to undressing you," Max whispered as she knelt at the foot of the bed. She made a faux-pouty face.

"If you want, I can put my clothes back on," Chloe offered, her voice teasing as she winked at the brunette. Max shook her head and started to crawl across the bed towards Chloe.

"No way," she murmured, smiling as she approached, "I'm okay with this view." Chloe grinned and waggled her eyebrows.

"Oh yeah?" she asked, trying her best to sound smooth.

"Yeah," Max replied, coming to a halt between Chloe's legs and sitting back on her heels.

"Well, at least I could undress you, then," Chloe suggested, leaning forward and reaching out a hand before Max playfully slapped it away.

"Nope, no fair," Max protested, her smile getting cheeky, "You can watch me undress myself, though." Chloe affected an exaggerated sigh and lay back against her pillow mound. For all she liked to play the innocent one of the two, Max could be a real tease when she wanted to be.

Moving achingly slow, Max pulled off each item of clothing one by one, dropping them off the side of the bed. Socks. Shirt. Bra. Jeans. Panties. At last, she was kneeling in front of Chloe, bare and grinning.

"Okay," she whispered, leaning forward a little, " _Now_ we're even."

"Good," Chloe replied, sitting up and pulling the shorter girl close, "I mean, fair's fair."


	65. Stay

**A/N: Just a bit of cuddly fluff**

"I don't want you to go," Chloe murmured, "Please don't go…" They were lying in Chloe's bed, with Max wrapped up tight in the taller girl's arms. Chloe had pulled a light blanket up over the both of them, and it was _just so cozy_. Max would have loved to have lay there forever, but she knew the last thing they needed was for Joyce to try harder to separate them. As it was, she was just making sort of a token effort by insisting Max sleep downstairs. Not great, obviously, but mild enough. Things would probably get harder if she found them naked in bed together, though, so she'd have to get up, get back downstairs, and get in bed before either Joyce or David woke up.

Not just yet, though, she thought. Her mind was still fuzzy from sex-coma, and she figured she'd have plenty of time to cuddle. Making love with Chloe was always wonderful, but it had seemed like tonight had been particularly special for the taller girl. Looking back, Max remembered how big a deal it had been for her the first time they'd made love in her own bed back home. Maybe it was the same for Chloe.

"I'll stay here for a little while," Max assured, lazily lifting her head from Chloe's shoulder to lean over for a kiss to her cheek, "I took a selfie before I came up, just to be safe. If anything goes wrong, I'll go back to warn myself with a note." Hopefully it wouldn't come to that, but Max liked having a little insurance policy to fall back on.

"You're so clever," Chloe remarked, turning her head to face Max, "You do such a good job looking out for me and shit." She leaned in and stole a gentle kiss, which Max was all too happy to give.

"I just don't ever want to lose you again," Max explained, squeezing Chloe gently and resting her forehead against the taller girl's.

"Yeah, sorry my mom tried to split us up for the night," Chloe grumbled, "I miss Seattle."

"It's not ideal, definitely," Max conceded, "But I sort of get where Joyce is coming from. I think she's still in an adjustment period about this stuff…" Chloe scoffed.

"Your parents were cool about us sharing a bedroom," she pointed out, "Is it so damn much to ask for my mom to do the same?"

"I mean, _I_ don't think so, but I'm not really an impartial observer," Max noted, shrugging a little, "Maybe she'll get more laid back over time? I dunno." She wanted to stay on good terms with Joyce, so Max wasn't particularly eager to press the issue. It _would_ be great for Joyce to ease back on her rules, though.

"Eh, I'll try and wear her down," Chloe sighed, stroking Max's hair, "In the meantime, at least stay with me until I fall asleep." Max smiled and hummed a little. That was definitely something she could do.

"Happily," Max replied, rolling up onto her side and propping herself up beside Chloe, "Any thoughts on how to pass the time?" She reached a hand out to cup Chloe's cheek and stroke it with her thumb. Chloe smiled and closed her eyes, turning slightly to press a kiss against Max's palm.

"Mmm, well this is pretty nice," Chloe noted, reaching up a hand and placing it over Max's, "Stroking? Caressing? Whatever this sort of thing is called. I like this."

"Well, I'm glad," Max murmured, smiling down at her beloved, "Maybe some kisses, too?" She leaned down to touch her lips to Chloe's forehead, earning a soft coo.

"Yes, kisses are also welcomed," Chloe agreed, "I am an affection sponge!" Joking tone aside, it was an accurate statement. For all her tough exterior and posturing, Chloe was really into being cutesy and affectionate. Almost more so than Max was. That wasn't to say that Max was at all averse to showing affection. Far from it. But it felt like Chloe had a need for love and contact that ran deeper than Max's. Five years of emotional neglect could do that to a person, Max supposed.

"Luckily, I have plenty of affection to give," Max replied, lifting her hand from Chloe's cheek only to start stroking her blue hair instead, "I've got a whole week to make up for!" Chloe chuckled and leaned her head into Max's hand.

"Psh, not a _whole_ week," Chloe pointed out, "We hung out on Monday and Wednesday, and now it's Friday-" She opened her eyes and fumbled around for her phone, lighting up the screen for a second to check the time. "Well, Saturday, I guess, but the point is we only missed out on two afternoons."

"Yeah, but we only saw each other in the afternoons and evenings, anyway," Max insisted, softly running her fingers along Chloe's jaw, "So we didn't have late night cuddles, or morning cuddles, or even at all during the day. We've got quite a backlog to make up for." She began to trace her forefinger along Chloe's lips.

"Guess we'll just have to stay up all night catching up," Chloe whispered, the heat of her breath warming Max's finger. Max smiled and planted her hand next to Chloe, supporting herself as she leaned in over the taller girl and brought her face close.

"I said I'd stay here with you until you fell asleep, though," Max teased, her lips just an inch from Chloe's, "If we stay up all night, I won't be on the sofa-bed when Joyce and David leave for work, and we'll be caught!" Chloe brought her head up slightly, kissing Max gently but with a bit of heat behind it.

"Guess you'll have to wear me out, then," she replied, eyes twinkling.


	66. Special

Mom usually left for the Two Whales at nine, when she had to work on Saturdays. David went for a run and then his support group at the VFW hall, leaving at about the same time. Chloe checked her phone, smiling as she saw the time. It was nine fifteen.

Rolling out of bed, Chloe rifled through her laundry pile for the T-shirt and panties she'd tossed over there the night before. If Max hadn't been sleeping over, they were what she would have worn to bed, so she figured they'd work well enough for just bumming around the house for the morning. Or maybe to be pulled off and tossed aside again… She bit her lip and smiled to herself.

As quietly as she could, Chloe padded down the stairs. Of course, Max could have been awake already, sitting on the pullout couch, eating Frosted Flakes and watching TV, but she wanted to be sneaky, just in case. Chloe always loved a chance to wake Max up with kisses, especially because she was usually on the other side of the process.

She was lucky this morning, though, it looked like. The TV was off, and she didn't see Max in the kitchen. Sure enough, Chloe found the little brunette curled up on the pullout couch, nestled under the blankets. Sitting on one arm of the sofa, Chloe took a moment to just admire Max.

Over the past few months she'd calmed down a lot. For a little while, she would start to toss and turn if Chloe got up even to use the bathroom in the middle of the night. Even with Chloe in bed, Max had still woken up from several nightmares, sometimes on her own and sometimes because Chloe had had to wake her. Now, though, she was lying calmly, snoring just a little.

Slowly and carefully, Chloe slid under the blankets next to Max. In response, the shorter girl snuggled up close to her. For a second Chloe thought maybe she was conscious, but it looked like she was just acting on instinct and reflex. The idea that Max's instinct was to snuggle up next to her warmed Chloe's heart, and she felt her cheeks turning a cheery pink as she settled in next to the brunette. It made her feel important and valued, and she absolutely loved that feeling.

Shifting around a little, and being as gentle as she could so as not to wake Max, Chloe rolled Max onto her back. She lightly brushed aside a few strands of brown hair before leaning down for a kiss, softly pressing her lips to Max's while moving a hand to intertwine their fingers. After a few seconds, Max's fingers curled and clasped Chloe's hand, and she moaned softly.

"Well hello there," Max sighed when the kiss ended, her sleepy eyes opening halfway and twinkling as she grinned up at Chloe, "I missed you."

"Same here," Chloe replied, stroking Max's hair and keeping her face close, "Sleeping alone sucks."

"Totally," Max agreed, "Glad I didn't have to wake up alone, though." Chloe smiled, and settled back down onto the creaky old pullout couch, snuggling up close to the brunette. Max responded by rolling over and settling into the crook of Chloe's arm, finding her usual spot after a moment of shifting around.

"Mmmm, lazy Saturday mornings are the best," Chloe remarked after a little while, lazily tracing circles on Max's shoulder with her finger.

"Better than hectic Monday mornings, for sure," Max replied, nuzzling into the crook of Chloe's neck, "I wish we never had to get out of bed!" Chloe chuckled and turned to plant a soft kiss on Max's forehead.

"Sadly, we will at some point," she lamented, affecting an exaggerated sigh, "Not for a while, though. Mom's not done at work today until like noon, I think, and David usually goes and checks in on the security staff down at Blackwell after his support group. So we've got a few hours for cuddles and other stuff."

"'Other stuff?'" Max repeated, her voice teasing, "What did you have in mind?" Chloe was pretty sure Max knew damn well what she had in mind, but she was happy to play along.

"Oh, you know, whatever," she replied, trying her best to sound nonchalant, "Eat sugary cereal, catch whatever cartoons the kids are watching these days, make out a whole bunch and maybe bang. Normal sleepover stuff." Max snickered.

"That all sounds pretty good," the brunette mused, shifting around and folding her arms on Chloe's chest, resting her chin on top of them, "Which do you wanna do first?" Chloe made a show of pondering the question before rolling Max onto her back and coming to rest on top of her, their faces once again just inches apart.

"What do _you_ think, dork?" Chloe murmured before leaning down for a heated kiss. It wasn't long before she felt Max's hands running through her hair and tugging lightly, then sometimes trailing down to clutch her shoulders.

"I love this," Max breathed as Chloe trailed kisses down her neck, "I love this and I love _you_." Chloe smiled against the brunette's collarbone. The way Max talked when they were going at it was always so sweet, and Chloe loved it.

"You're such a sweetheart," Chloe replied softly, bringing her face back to Max's to look her in the eye, "My sweetheart." Max smiled up at her.

"And you're my darling," Max sighed wistfully. Chloe's heart skipped a beat. That was what Future-Max had called her back on Christmas Eve. But Max hadn't taken any pictures in the last few minutes, though, so that was just something Max had up and said. Was this the start of that?

"'Darling,'" Chloe repeated, smiling to herself, "I really like that." Max leaned up for a kiss, then cupped Chloe's cheek as she gazed up into her eyes.

"Then that'll be your new pet name," Max whispered, lightly settling her hand on the back of Chloe's neck, "A special name for special occasions." She winked and pulled Chloe down for another kiss.

"Can, um, can this be a special occasion?" Chloe asked furtively between kisses. Maybe to Max that pet name was just a sort of cutesy term of endearment, but for Chloe it was a beautiful reminder that the two of them were going to last. That she was worth loving for the long haul.

"Yes, darling," Max replied, her voice soft even as she tugged at the edge of Chloe's shirt, "This can be a special occasion."


	67. Movie Date

**A/N: Just some fluff :)**

Around noon, Chloe had insisted that they leave her house to go out into town for a while. Max would have been content just to stay in Chloe's living room, cuddling on the couch and watching TV, but she was willing to go wherever. So long as they were together, the venue wasn't of particular interest to Max.

Chloe still seemed bitter about Joyce making them sleep in different rooms, and Max figured that might have been part of the reason she was so eager to leave the house right around the time Joyce's shift ended. Max definitely would have liked to have spent the night with Chloe instead of apart, but she still got where Joyce was coming from. Chloe had been taking it personally, like Joyce was making some kind of commentary on their relationship, but Max just assumed it could be chalked up to Joyce being squicked out at the thought of her little girl having The Sex.

Max had fully been expecting her own parents to do the same thing back when she and Chloe had arrived in Seattle. It had been a huge relief when they'd just asked for discretion and left it at that, although Mom had still acted sort of awkward about it sometimes. Dad hadn't seemed to care, and Max suspected he might have been the one who'd pushed to just leave her and Chloe to their own devices. He'd always been pretty laid back, and the revelation that he had time powers too kind of accounted for that in Max's mind, like it had made him all Zen or something.

"So, where should we go?" Chloe asked once they'd rounded the corner off of her block, "What should we do?" Max thought for a moment. It was pretty cold out, and raining. Not uncommon for late January in Oregon, of course, but it kind of put a damper on any sort of outdoorsy stuff.

"We could go see a movie," Max suggested after a few seconds of consideration, "The second 'Hobbit' movie came out last month, and we didn't go see it. Do you think it might still be playing at the Arcadia Bay Cineplex?"

"I think so," Chloe replied, "Backwater-ass theater probably has the second 'Lord of the Rings' movie." They steered a general course for the movie theater, chatting as they went. After about twenty minutes or so, they pulled up to the Cineplex. Sure enough, "The Desolation of Smaug" was going to be playing in a quarter of an hour.

"I swear these are the same trivia questions they were using before I moved to Seattle," Max remarked once they'd found some seats and settled in. Chloe shifted around a little in her seat, putting her coke in the cup holder at her right and lifting the armrest on her left. Max contentedly leaned over to settle into Chloe, the taller girl wrapping an arm around her and dipping a hand into their bag of popcorn.

"Like I said, this place is one backwater-ass theater," Chloe pointed out, awkwardly bringing her hand up around Max to eat a few pieces of popcorn, "But hey, we know all the answers! We should be on a game show or something." Max smiled and laughed quietly, nuzzling against Chloe and munching on some popcorn of her own.

After a few minutes, the lights dimmed and previews started. Max had seen them all on YouTube a week or more before, and just zoned out for a little bit. The seat was nice and squishy, Chloe was warm and comfy, and the popcorn was just like she remembered it. Even if it was just a random idea they'd had to kill some time, Max was really happy she and Chloe were out at the movies.

Their relationship had gone from "friends" to "in love and in bed" literally overnight. The night of October 12th, to be specific. It wasn't that Max thought that things had gone too fast, exactly. Chloe knew her better than maybe anyone else on Earth, and making love wasn't something she'd ever regretted, even for an instant. All the same, though, they had never really gone on many actual "dates." Snuggling in a movie theater seemed like a pretty normal date though, right? Close enough for her, at least.

She and Chloe munched on the popcorn for like the first hour of the movie, switching over to Twizzlers once they ran out. The movie was engaging enough that they hadn't started ignoring it after ten minutes to make out, although Max figured that probably wasn't going to make it onto the box of the DVD release: "Special effects entertaining enough to temporarily distract horny teenagers." Mostly distract, anyway. Chloe felt really nice to snuggle against… And the movie was kind of in a lull…

"Last Twizzler," Chloe remarked in a whisper, cutting into Max's thoughts, "Wanna split it?" That sounded fine with Max, and she pulled the last candy out of the packaging. On the screen, Stephen Fry was acting goofy and talking about convoluted plans with the dwarves, which wasn't really holding her attention. Grinning to herself, Max took one end of the last Twizzler in her mouth and shifted around to turn her face up at Chloe.

"Sure," she managed to reply around the candy. Snorting, Chloe shrugged and leaned in to bite the other end. It was corny and maybe cliché, but Max still smiled as they both nibbled down the Twizzler towards each other. Within a moment their lips touched, just like Max knew they would, and she reached up to grasp at Chloe's shoulder.

The theater wasn't _crowded_ , exactly, but there were people around. Comfortable as she was with Chloe, Max was still feeling a little shy about PDA. Gentle kisses in the back of the theater were okay though. Very okay.

After a little while, interesting stuff started happening again. The dwarves had made it into the mountain, the dragon was pissed off, and the 3D special effects bonanza Max and Chloe had spent the extra $3.50 on special glasses for was starting. With just a little reluctance, they broke their kiss and Max settled back down against Chloe's shoulder to watch the rest of the movie.

Just as promised, the end was bombastic. There was fire, and lava, and all sorts of ridiculous Rube Goldberg device shenanigans. It didn't bear much resemblance to the book, of course, but it was entertaining. Once the screen went black and Ed Sheeran started singing over the credits, though, Max and Chloe shared one last kiss and got up, shuffling out with the rest of the audience.

"This was fun," Max remarked as they left the theater, taking Chloe's hand, "Thanks for agreeing to go out to the movies." Chloe smiled at her and squeezed her hand.

"Of course," the taller girl replied, "Snuggling with you and watching crap are, like, two of my favorite pastimes. I'll do pretty much whatever, so long as it's with you."

"Awww, you're so sweet," Max said, voice light and playful, "That's why I love you."

"I love you, too," Chloe agreed, "I love you like that elf chick loves that dwarf guy." Max laughed.

"So, in a contrived fashion that doesn't make any sense?" Max teased as they reached the truck.

"I guess not, then," Chloe grumbled good naturedly, "Maybe like the king-dwarf loves the bigass diamond?" Max smiled as she climbed up into the cab and closed her door.

"With an all-consuming passion, then?" Max summarized as Chloe climbed up into her seat. Chloe turned and they smiled at each other before both leaning towards one another.

"Yeah," Chloe whispered, pausing for a second before their lips met, "That sounds about right."


	68. Good Enough

After the movie, Chloe and Max had sort of just bummed around town. They went for a walk up the hill to the lighthouse again, and Max more or less held it together, so that was cool. Besides that, they'd gone to the partially rebuilt boardwalk, but there honestly wasn't much to see. It being winter and all, the mostly open-air attraction had been given a lower priority in the reconstruction than other stuff, so there were a lot of empty structures waiting to be filled with kitschy tourist stuff come Spring.

The arcade had been open, though, even if it was only like half full of actual games. Chloe figured gaming cabinets were probably getting harder to get these days, so they'd had to make do. Still, there was skee ball, so Chloe had a chance to show off her mad skills. Or try to, at least. Max didn't really seem to mind that she couldn't snag a high score, so she wasn't too concerned. Playing DDR with Max was a lot of fun, though, so that was probably the highlight of the visit.

As the sky started to get dark, she and Max got back in the truck and headed for home. There was a second when Chloe thought about just ditching Mom and going back to Blackwell to crash in Max's room that night, but she powered through and took the turn for her house. It was her weekend to host, and just because she was pissed at Mom didn't mean Max was. Plus, she was getting hungry, and Mom's cooking was way better than the Blackwell dining hall's…

"It's been a good day," Max remarked, giving a contended sigh and sinking into her seat, "Thanks for taking me out on the town." Chloe glanced over to see her smiling, and automatically smiled back.

"Eh, sorry the whole place is sort of still under construction," Chloe mumbled, "Like, I just wanted to get out of the house and shit, so thanks for humoring me." Max reached up to squeeze her shoulder.

"It was fun," Max assured her, "Plus, the day definitely started off really nice." Chloe's smile widened as she thought back to the morning. Just about every morning in bed with Max was great, but this one had been especially good. Max had finally called her "darling," which was great all on its own, but then she'd called her that while they were banging, too. Pet names during sex was something completely alien to Chloe. "Girl," "slut," "bitch," "whore." Those were things other people had called her during sex, but the closest thing to a pet name she'd ever gotten while going at it was "baby." Rachel had always just called her by her name, and so had Max up until now. It had sounded a lot more like a term of endearment when Max said it, though.

But now she was "darling." Not always, but Max had been slipping it in here and there. When they banged that morning, she'd murmured it a lot, which Chloe had appreciated. That had had to have been on purpose, which was really sweet. But whenever they'd made out throughout the day, Max had called her "darling" then, too. If nothing else, that made this weekend a win.

Both Mom and David were home by the time Chloe and Max got back. They didn't run and greet her at the door or anything, but Chloe could tell they were home. The faint clang of tools in the garage told her David was working on his hobby car, and Mom's jacket was hanging on the coatrack. She'd more or less been expecting that, but she was still a little irritated they were both home. At least dinner would be coming up soon, though, which was good. That popcorn hadn't been too filling.

"Oh good, you two are home!" Mom remarked cheerily when Chloe and Max stepped into the living room, "Haven't seen you all day. Except for Max's hair peeking out from under her blankets on the couch." If she knew about Chloe and Max's late night shenanigans, she wasn't letting on. So long as she wasn't having a hissy fit about it, Chloe was fine, although she almost wanted to get caught on purpose to force a conflict. What was Mom gonna do, kick her out?

"Hey, Joyce," Max greeted, matching Mom's cheerful tone, "Sorry we missed you. We went out to the movies, then the boardwalk. We figured we'd make a day of it."

"Well, I'm glad you two could find something fun to do out in town," Mom replied, marking her place in the book she'd been reading, "It's good things are starting to go back to normal."

"Yeah," Chloe scoffed, sitting down at the dining room table, "Back to dying off _real_ slowly." Mom sighed and shot Chloe a look.

"Oh, be nice," she scolded, "If anything, rebuilding from the ground up is revitalizing this town. A sleepy old fishing town was one thing, but people are going to want to settle in a quaint seaside community if everything's new and clean." That was probably true, Chloe had to concede. Like, Arcadia Bay was in a pretty good location, and a fresh downtown and stuff would probably be a draw for new blood. But it wouldn't be enough for her, she decided. No way she was settling in Arcadia goddamn Bay.

"It feels weird," Max remarked, "Familiar and different all at the same time, you know?"

"Exactly!" Mom agreed, and the two of them started to make light conversation about the changes. It was a diversion, Chloe was pretty sure. Once again, Max had to slip in and defuse the situation. Maybe one day she'd stop being such a friggin' drama queen, and Max wouldn't have to be all alert and stuff, but it looked like she wasn't there yet.

It wasn't too long before Mom had dinner made, and they all sat down to eat. Just like the night before, and the first night they'd been back in Arcadia Bay, Chloe felt very conscious of how small the dining room table was at her house. Not like the bigass hardwood table at the Caulfields' place. The food here was just as good, at least, although it was on plastic plates, not nice ceramic.

Max wasn't just now being seeing her house for the first time or anything, of course. She'd been over like every day of the October Hell week, and a couple times a week since they were really little right up until she'd moved away. The place hadn't changed that much. But Chloe still felt sort of uncomfortable about how much of a downgrade it probably felt like for her, compared to her nice house full of nice stuff in nice Seattle.

For her part, Max didn't really seem to care. She hadn't complained to Chloe about it, at any rate. Plus, she was really nice to Mom, complimenting the food and thanking her for dinner, for letting her stay over, for everything. Chloe figured it was only a matter of time before Mom asked her "Why can't you be more like Max?" She made a mental note to start coming up with snarky responses to that, to have on hand when the time came.

Once dinner was finished and everything was cleaned up, Chloe led Max back upstairs to her room. At this point, that was sort of the only thing she had, really. Just like with the dining room and dinner, Max didn't seem to mind, though, which was nice. As best she could, Chloe tried not to think about her boring little house, and just divided her attention between cuddling Max and watching _Better Than Chocolate_ on her laptop. Tried and failed, it turned out, because Max eventually paused the movie and sat up.

"Alright, what's up?" she asked, turning to face Chloe.

"What do you mean?" Chloe asked in reply, shrugging.

"Something's bugging you," Max pointed out, "I can tell." Chloe sighed.

"I'm just feeling a lot like a 'townie,'" Chloe explained, "Like, I keep comparing my house to yours, and Arcadia Bay to Seattle. It can't possibly measure up, right?" Max's shoulders slumped, and she reached down to take Chloe's hand.

"I'm not here because your house is, or because Arcadia Bay is exciting," Max replied quietly, squeezing Chloe's hand and looking into her eyes, "I'm here because I love you. I love you, and this house is full of memories _of_ you. So is Arcadia Bay. You're enough for me. Can't that be enough for you?" That didn't put all of Chloe's fears to rest. Really, it was sort of an admission that yes, Arcadia Bay and her house _didn't_ hold up against big, sleek Seattle and the Caulfields' place. But it was enough to settle her down mostly.

"Okay," she mumbled, glancing away from Max in embarrassment. God, why was she such an insecure mess? "Thanks." She turned back to Max and tried to smile apologetically. Sighing and smiling, Max leaned in and gave Chloe a gentle kiss.

"You're so silly sometimes, you know that?" she murmured, resting her forehead against Chloe's, "I love you, no matter what, no matter where. I'd still love you even if you lived in the backroom of a bookstore, like the girl in the movie." Chloe blushed a little and smiled, a bit more earnestly this time.

"Or even if I lived out of a van like that other girl?" she asked, trying to sound a little playful.

"Even then," Max assured her, leaning in for another kiss. Before things could go any further, though, Chloe heard Mom calling her from downstairs. Crap.

"I guess I'd better go see what she wants," Chloe grumbled, leaning back slightly from Max.

"Probably," Max conceded, scooting away just a little, "At least she didn't just barge in like last night." There was that, but Chloe was still annoyed. Grumbling some more, she climbed off her bed and stepped out of her room, walking halfway down the stairs before Mom got to the foot of the staircase.

"'Sup?" she asked, a sullen edge finding its way into her voice.

"Tom down at the Two Whales called," Mom explained, "Apparently Joann's water just broke, so he asked if I could come and cover her evening shift." Chloe raised her eyebrows.

"David's been called in to Blackwell to deal with something up there, too," she went on, "I'm not sure on details, but he said it was urgent."

"So you're both gonna be out until late," Chloe summarized. _Interesting_. Mom frowned a little but nodded.

"More or less, yes," she confirmed, glancing awkwardly past Chloe and up the stairs, "You know the rules and such. Don't burn the house down or anything." Chloe rolled her eyes.

"Don't burn the house down," she repeated, "Got it. Anything else?" Mom glanced up the stairs again, then looked away, her face turning a little red.

"No. No, that's all," Mom sighed, "Just-" She faced Chloe again, still blushing but putting on an air of calm. "When I get home, I'm going to be tired, so I'll probably just fall right into bed. I'll probably sleep in, too." Again, Chloe raised her eyebrows.

"Please just have Max in her own bed by the time I wake up," Mom mumbled before hurriedly stepping into the garage and shutting the door behind her. Chloe smiled to herself as she turned and went back up the stairs. Max was sitting on the edge of the bed when Chloe stepped back into her room, grinning mischievously.

"Did you catch all that?" Chloe asked. Based on the brunette's expression, she figured she had. Max nodded, and Chloe shut her bedroom door.


	69. Full Moon

**A/N: I went ahead and did something a little more explicit and cheeky in honor of the 69th chapter. Nothing particularly graphic, of course, but I hope it's fun, to some degree or another. :)**

After Joyce had left, Max and Chloe had been pretty eager to take advantage of having the house to themselves. It wasn't so much that they felt a pressing _need_ to strike while the iron was hot, exactly. Making love, or even just making out and getting a little handsy, was always nice, of course, but it wasn't exactly rare for them. Even with school starting up again, they'd been making room in their schedules for couple time.

Mainly, it was fun to feel like they were getting away with something, Max thought. She'd heard most of the exchange between Chloe and her mom, and Chloe had filled in the rest for her once she was back in the room. Joyce was still trying to at least maintain the appearance of control, it seemed like, but she'd kind of conceded that she wasn't going to do much to actually keep the two of them separate. Max would have preferred she drop the pretense altogether and just let them share a room if they wanted, but half-measures and mental gymnastics were better than a hard line.

"You're cute," Chloe whispered, kissing Max on the cheeks and the bridge of her nose, "And you've got cute freckles." They were lying on Chloe's bed, with Max sprawled out on her back and Chloe resting beside her, leaning down to kiss her and play with her hair.

"And you're sexy," Max murmured in reply, "And you're all mine, darling." She drew out the word "all," grinning up at Chloe and running her hand along the taller girl's side.

"Pretty much," Chloe agreed, smiling and touching her lips to Max's. This was nice, Max thought to herself as they kissed. Playfully, she nipped at Chloe's bottom lip, earning a surprised little yelp. Chloe didn't pull back, though, leaning in closer instead and sliding a hand under Max's shirt and up along her stomach and chest. When Max released her lip, Chloe immediately responded in kind.

It wasn't the _first_ time they'd nipped each other while kissing, but they didn't do it often. Chloe had been the one to introduce it a few months back, and Max had sort of panicked at the time, not sure what was going on. She was slowly getting more accustomed to the bit of pressure and the almost-pain of it, though, and she could tell it was something Chloe liked.

"My, you're feeling adventurous this evening," Chloe teased, leaning back a little once she'd released Max's lip, "What's gotten into you?" Max smiled and shrugged.

"Your mom sort of caved and let us share a room," she pointed out, "So I guess I'm feeling kinda giddy and stuff."

"Works for me," Chloe replied, "I love you all the time, but giddy, playful Max is always a fun treat."

"Well, as long as she's here, do you have any special requests?" Max asked, raising her eyebrows, "You know, before I go back to boring ol' me." Maybe that was a little passive-aggressive, she had to admit, but she did feel self-conscious sometimes. Chloe had never once complained that their lovemaking was stale or routine, but Max knew she was used to things being a bit more wild and varied.

"You could never bore me, Max," Chloe whispered, looking into her eyes and leaning in for another kiss, this one gentle and loving, "I love you, and every night with you is like heaven or something." She held Max tight for a second before leaning back and sitting up.

"But if you wanna change things up, I _do_ have a couple ideas," she went on, winking down at the brunette.

* * *

"Okay, how do I, um, do this?" Max asked, biting her lip and glancing down. Chloe sighed and looked back at Max over her shoulder.

"It's not hard, I promise," the blue haired girl explained, "Give me a bunch of quick, sorta light taps first, then slap harder."

"I just don't want to hurt you, though," Max mumbled, blushing and fidgeting a bit.

"That's sort of the point, Max," Chloe noted, wiggling her butt a little and flashing a grin, "Don't worry. I'll tell you if it's getting to be too much or something." So much for that stalling tactic, Max thought.

As it turned out, Chloe had wanted to be spanked. Max was more or less fine with that, at least in theory. Like, light spanking was a pretty common thing, right? Common enough that she'd heard of it, anyway. When Chloe had suggested it, Max had even thought it sounded kind of fun and exciting. But now here she was, looking down at Chloe's naked butt and completely unsure of what she was supposed to be doing.

"O-okay," she mumbled, lightly patting Chloe's behind, "Like that?"

"Well yeah, but harder, please," Chloe replied, "Like, enough to sting a bit, you know?" Doing her best to follow the instructions, Max swatted with a bit more speed and force.

"Sorry," Max replied, "I guess I'm not a good dominatrix or whatever." Chloe laughed again and reached back to squeeze Max's shoulder for a second.

"I don't _want_ you to be a dominatrix," Chloe assured her, "Just be you. Except, be you while also slapping my ass." Max blushed some, but felt a little better. Chloe was being patient with her, just like she had when they'd first started making love, and she seemed mostly just amused at Max's fumbling attempts. That was better than annoyed, at any rate.

"Okay, I'm good and warmed up," Chloe noted after a little while longer of the fast, light slaps. Swats? Pats? If there was a hierarchy of spanks, Max sure didn't know it. "You can actually, like, give it a good smack now."

"Like this?" Max asked after a second's hesitation, bringing her hand down against Chloe's skin. Looking over her shoulder, Chloe smiled and nodded with enthusiasm.

"Yup!" she declared, "Like that." Glad she was doing everything more or less fine, Max just continued, trying to keep a more or less steady pace and intensity. The cheerful winces and yelps from Chloe were a good sign, she thought, and the taller girl did give her frequent encouragement.

After a little while longer, Chloe motioned for Max to stop. Rolling off the brunette's lap, she shifted around a bunch until she was kneeling next to Max on the bed. Blushing and beaming, she leaned in and pulled Max close for a kiss.

"Thanks," Chloe murmured as their lips parted after a moment, keeping her face close, "Now, if you wouldn't mind, I'd kinda like your pants off, too. I'm all revved up." Max blushed a bit but smiled, eagerly reaching down to unbutton her jeans and start to wriggle out of them. This- just making out and making love with Chloe- _this_ was something she was real comfortable with.

From there, things took their normal course. The rest of their clothes came off. They kissed a bunch. Hands wandered. Lips wandered. Fingers curled, in hair and in other places. In time, they lay snuggled up under one of Chloe's blankets, Max resting against Chloe's shoulder while the taller girl held her close.

"Think we should turn off the lights?" Max asked, lazily turning her head to look around the room. There was no guarantee that they were settling in to sleep at this point, of course. Given the tone of the night, there was honestly a better chance than usual of things heating up again. But still, Max knew that she was only going to get more reluctant to get out of bed as the night wore on.

"I mean, I guess," Chloe sighed, carefully sliding free of Max's embrace to go click off the overhead, "I'm leaving the Christmas lights on, though. Just enough light that I can still look at you." Max smiled at the sweet nothing, and happily snuggled back up next to Chloe as soon as she was back in bed.

"Good idea," she murmured, nuzzling against Chloe's shoulder, "There's not a whole lot of natural light tonight, I don't think."

"Which is weird," Chloe remarked, stroking Max's hair, "There was a full moon out earlier." Max was confused, thinking back to the drive back to the house after dark, and if she'd seen what phase the moon was in.

"No, I think it's only, like, a quarter full or something tonight," Max insisted, "Don't you remember?" Chloe just grinned cheekily at her, and she got the joke after a second. "Oh. Chloe!" She groaned and rolled her eyes, but laughed all the same.


	70. Restless Thoughts

A sharp noise woke Chloe up and was almost immediately cut short. Half awake, she could feel Max wriggle out from her embrace. It must be morning, she figured.

"Chloe," Max whispered, "Chloe, I'm gonna go downstairs now." Chloe kept her eyes shut, but she could sort of tell that Max was close. She could feel the brunette's breath against her face, for one thing, and the mattress kinda dipped like Max was kneeling on it or something.

Chloe grumbled something unintelligible, and then felt Max's lips pressed against her forehead. A moment later, Max seemed to climb all the way off the bed. Chloe heard her take a few steps around the room then pause, probably pulling on her clothes, before slowly walking over to the door. With barely a sound, Max stepped out of the bedroom, and Chloe was alone.

As best as she could, Chloe tried to just relax and fall back to sleep. Between already being awake and not having her Max cuddled up next to her, though, she ended up just lying awake in bed. After two weeks of this, Chloe figured she'd have started to reacclimatize to sleeping alone, but apparently not. Crap.

With sleep off the list of options, Chloe ended up just sort of stewing. Looking back, she kicked herself for being such a goddamn burnout about everything. Getting a rap sheet, dropping out of school, all that shit. It wasn't like she wished she could go back and be a docile little good girl or anything, but maybe she'd at least not be living with her mom if she'd finished high school and didn't have a record. Or maybe she would, with the economy in the toilet. But she _definitely_ lived with her mom in this reality, and that was starting to be kind of a pain in the ass.

Heh. Pain in the ass. Having to go through this dumb charade sucked, but at least last night had been a lot of fun. Sex with Max was always great, as far as Chloe was concerned, but doing something a little "naughty" or whatever was a nice change of pace. It had been pretty adorable how antsy Max got about just lightly spanking Chloe, all worried she'd hurt her or something. She hadn't done half bad, though, so that was cool. Chloe wasn't really into that "whips and chains" shit, anyway, just a little sting and excitement to get her all shook up.

Maybe they'd do something like that again some time. Not, like, every night or anything, but occasionally. Max had seemed to be sort of into it by the end, and Chloe wondered whether she had any fun quirks or kinks she just hadn't been mentioning up until now. That seemed unlikely, but maybe she'd discover some? Whatever. Max was already a way better lay than anybody else Chloe'd banged. Mostly because Max actually gave a crap about her. Like, banging had usually been fun for Chloe before Max, too, but it made a difference actually sleeping with someone who was invested in her happiness.

It was probably best not to think about heavy crap like timelines and "what if?", but Chloe still found herself thinking back again and wondering why the hell she hadn't tried to keep in contact with Max. As she remembered it, it had been because she'd been pissed. Pissed at Max for leaving, pissed at Dad for dying, and pissed at the world for being so far beyond her control. Losing either one of them was bad enough, but both in the same friggin' week was just too damn much for her, and she'd sort of just had a meltdown.

What if she _had_ kept in contact with Max, though? Kept up on Facebook, and Skyped a bunch? It wasn't like Seattle was really all that far away, really. She could have taken the Coast Starlight train up to visit, or maybe even just a bus. Max had mentioned she'd always crushed on girls, and Chloe'd totally been crushing on her even back before she left, so maybe they would have gotten together sooner. Staying in contact with Max could have meant no dropping out, no falling for Rachel, no run in with Nathan, and no years of feeling abandoned.

Chloe shook her head. That was all _way_ too much to think about. It boggled her mind to run through all the possibilities, and she didn't even have time powers. It had to be maddening for Max, knowing she had the power to go back and change shit but having to hold herself back all the time. Or what if she actually changed shit all the time, and Chloe just didn't remember? That was an even crazier thought!

Rolling onto her side and reaching for her phone, Chloe tried her best to block out heavy stuff like that. If she couldn't get back to sleep, she could at least kill some time on _Temple Run_. For a while Chloe just split time between playing games and checking social media apps. There wasn't really much Facebook activity at eight in the morning, though, so she got bored quick.

Eventually, though, she heard creaking on the floorboards out in the hall, and then on the stairs. Maybe Mom was finally up, she thought. Climbing out of bed, Chloe grabbed a T-shirt and some sweatpants, pulling them on and heading for the door. It was quiet on the landing when she stepped out of her room, and she trotted on down the stairs. She tried not to make _too_ much noise, in case Max had actually managed to get some sleep, but she wasn't being super sneaky ninja Chloe, either.

Rounding the corner into the kitchen, Chloe had been assuming she'd find Mom putting coffee on. Instead she nearly bumped into David, sidestepping just in time while he pivoted to one side. For a moment they just stood in silence, Chloe not making eye contact while her step-father raised his eyebrows for a moment.

"You're up early," he remarked. Chloe's instinct was to read hostility into anything David said or did and respond in kind, but she'd been trying not to since getting back to Arcadia Bay. It didn't really _sound_ like he'd meant it in a bad way or anything, and Chloe tried to just keep cool.

"Yeah," Chloe agreed, forcing an even tone, "Got up to hit the toilet earlier, and I couldn't get back to sleep. I figured I'd come on down here and watch TV or something."

"Uh-huh," David replied, sounding a little unconvinced and glancing over his shoulder towards the living room. The pullout couch wasn't in view, but Chloe knew what he was thinking. He was right, of course, but she was still figuring out where she stood with Mom and David at this point.

"You're up early, too," Chloe pointed out, trying to steer the conversation away from herself, "I thought Mom said you had to go out to Blackwell for a while last night. Didn't wanna sleep in?" David shook his head.

"It'd just make it all the harder to be up bright and early for tomorrow," he stated, "Don't want to start bad habits."

"But you _were_ at Blackwell last night, right?" Chloe pressed, "Was something up?" Partially she just wanted to verify that she and Max really had been alone in the house last night, but she was also sort of curious. Last time there was trouble at Blackwell, she'd known all the details. She'd _been_ the trouble, after all. This had to have been something else, though, and she wasn't super comfortable not knowing. Not if Max might be in danger or something.

"Yes, I was at Blackwell," David confirmed, "And that's where I'm headed shortly. There was an incident last night. No one's hurt, and nobody's in any danger, we don't think. Beyond that, it's none of your business right now." Chloe sort of pricked up her ears when David added "right now" to the end of the statement. Did he just mean that Max was safe, so she shouldn't worry about it? Or was there something bigger going on? Whichever it was, Chloe wasn't feeling up to pushing her luck too much further.

"Well, have fun with the rowdy trust fund kids and crap," Chloe sighed, shrugging and starting towards the living room.

"Chloe," David said, making her stop in her tracks. He didn't sound pissed, but his voiced tipped her off that something heavy was up. She turned.

"If anyone starts to harass you, or threaten you, or anything like that, tell me right away," he told her, meeting her stare and maintaining eye contact, "Or if you don't trust me yet, tell the police. Just don't try to handle it all by yourself or anything." Okay, something was definitely up.

"Like, do you think that's likely to happen?" Chloe asked, starting to feel uneasy. David sighed and broke eye contact, shuffling back and forth a little.

"I'm not sure yet," he admitted, sounding almost sheepish after his dramatic pronouncement, "Just… Be careful. Please." Before Chloe could ask for details, David turned and left the kitchen. Chloe heard him walk through the door to the garage. If she was gonna get any answers, it wasn't going to be that morning.

Shrugging, Chloe walked into the living room. That had all been hella cryptic and ominous. But then again, this was David she was dealing with, and he was pretty paranoid. Then again _again_ , it had turned out that Mark Jefferson and Nathan Prescott had been drugging, kidnapping, assaulting, and sometimes murdering teenage girls, possibly under the protection of Papa Prescott himself, so maybe David hadn't been wrong to always be on edge.

Again, Chloe shook her head. She had been more or less working under the assumption that the danger was over. Sure, she was still kind of skittish, but she hadn't been on the lookout for anyone actively trying to hurt her of Max. If David wasn't just being weird, then things were gonna get more complicated. Crap. Walking over to the pullout couch, she sat down next to Max's sleeping form and stroked the brunette's hair.

"You're gonna be fine," Chloe whispered, "Nothing's gonna hurt you. You're gonna be just fine." She wasn't sure whether she was talking to Max or herself. Maybe both.

In time, Max began to stir. She did that cute little smile she made when Chloe stroked her hair, and just stayed still for a few minutes, letting Chloe continue uninterrupted. Eventually, though, she slowly opened her eyes and blinked a few times before focusing on Chloe.

"Good morning," Max sighed, smiling up at Chloe, "What time is it?" Chloe checked her phone.

"Like eight thirty," she reported, "Should I let you sleep some more?" Max shook her head and sluggishly shifted up into a sitting position.

"Nah, it's fine," the brunette replied, "I don't wanna sleep the day away, you know?"

"Yeah, I hear that," Chloe agreed, scooting around on the bed until she was next to Max, leaning against the back of the couch, "Plus, I don't think Mom's working today, so she might just cook us breakfast." She put her arm around Max, who eagerly snuggled up close to her.

"Ooh, that sounds good!" Max remarked, resting her head against Chloe's shoulder, "What do you wanna do in the meantime?"

"I dunno," Chloe replied, grabbing the remote from the end table and clicking the TV on, "We could take a look at whatever it is the kids these days watch in between sugar comas."

"It probably can't top 'Mr. Hotdog,'" Max pointed out, "But sure, let's watch cartoons." With that she nuzzled against Chloe and settled in a bit, turning most of her attention to the TV but taking hold of Chloe's hand.

Max's hand was warm. She was small and soft and Chloe loved snuggling her. Between her beloved Max snuggled up next to her and whatever this weird extravaganza of color and noise on the TV was, Chloe could mostly forget about whatever David had been talking about. Mostly.


	71. Dancing

Most of the rest of the day was pretty laid back. Chloe apologized a couple of times for not having anything exciting planned, but Max really didn't mind. Yesterday had been their "out on the town" day, and even that had been pretty loose. Max kept assuring Chloe that just chilling with her was good enough, but it didn't seem to be getting through all the way.

Just like they'd hoped, Joyce had cooked breakfast, which was delicious. Max had been eating Joyce's breakfasts pretty regularly for most of her life, excepting her time in Seattle, but she never got tired of them. Some of it was obviously just that the food was tasty, but Joyce-breakfasts were definitely a sentimental thing for Max, too. She'd spent just so many mornings eating those pancakes and eggs, laughing and talking with Chloe at the table while they were both still in their pajamas. Breakfast at Chloe's house wasn't _just_ breakfast, it was comfort and joy and love.

After that, though, they'd just kind of bummed around the house. Joyce was doing cleaning and stuff, so Max and Chloe made and put away the pullout couch bed then just sort of hid out in Chloe's room.

"So, what do you wanna do now?" Chloe asked as their latest movie came to an end on Netflix, "We could watch another thing, or just chill out and talk and stuff. There might be a board game or two in the house someplace, if you don't mind looking. Or, you know, I'm open to suggestions." She stretched, lifting her arm up from where it had been draped around Max. Shrugging, Max sat up a little and rolled her shoulders.

What _did_ she want to do? Just hang out with Chloe, mostly, same as always. Pondering and looking around the room, her eyes stopped on the stereo for a second, and she had an idea.

"We could dance," she suggested, starting to climb off the bed. Raising an eyebrow, Chloe followed her, and they came to a stop in the mostly clear part of the floor.

"Like, dance how?" Chloe pressed, checking that the stereo was plugged in. She seemed to be sort of probing, Max thought. Better than totally not into it, at least.

"I don't think it matters too much," Max replied, shrugging again, "Whatever you want. You can teach me how to thrash better, or we could just shimmy around like that one 'Calvin and Hobbes' comic."

"How about slow-dancing?" Chloe asked, putting a CD into the tray and hitting "Play." Max was a little surprised that that was Chloe's first choice, but she definitely didn't mind. The stereo started to play some slow rock ballad, and Chloe stepped closer to Max, putting one hand on the small of her back and pulling her close while taking the brunette's hand in the other. Smiling, Max snuggled closer and rested her head against Chloe's shoulder as they swayed.

"Lifehouse?" Max remarked, "Really?" It wasn't a bad choice, she thought, but she was sort of amused and surprised that Chloe even had anything slow dance-able on hand.

"Eh, I think this song's pretty," Chloe replied quietly, nuzzling her cheek against Max's forehead, "And it's sort of topical, right? It's got clocks and time and shit. Seemed like a good starter for my slow dance mix." Max raised her eyebrows and smiled.

"You have a _slow dance mix_?" she asked, teasing a little. It was always adorable to her when Chloe did something cutesy and romantic. For a moment, Max had an image of a tween Chloe slowly drifting around her bedroom, mooning over some boy- or probably some girl, since it was Chloe- and holding a pillow like it was a dance partner.

"Well I have one _now_ ," Chloe replied, holding Max a little tighter, "Like, it was really nice sort of dancing or whatever the night we got to Seattle, so I put together a mix once I was back home. Just in case, you know?" Max lifted her head and touched her lips to Chloe's dwelling there for a second as they rocked gently.

"You're a romantic dork, and I love it," she whispered, grinning at Chloe before kissing her again. Chloe lightly traced her thumb across the back of Max's hand as they kissed, and kept on holding her close.

Together, they just kept swaying and cuddling and kissing as the music went on. Sometimes Max and Chloe would look into each other's eyes for a bit, or Max would remark on one of Chloe's song choices. Occasionally Chloe would say something first, heading Max off to explain her reasoning for that particular musical choice. Some of them had special meanings, reminding Chloe of Max or their relationship, but others were just romantic or pretty. Either way, the music set a nice mood, Max thought. It definitely made cuddling- because really, what's slow dancing besides just standup cuddling?- all the more special.

In time, they'd run through all the songs on the CD, and the mix started over. The repetition was enough to jar Chloe out of whatever stupor the two of them had managed to lull themselves into, and she let go of Max to hit "eject" on the stereo. After she'd put the CD back in its case, she turned back to Max, smiling but blushing bright pink.

"So yeah, that was, uh, that was really nice," she mumbled, glancing away before meeting Max's eyes and seeming to forget her sheepishness, "Thanks for dancing with me like that. It's not- Well, I've only ever done this a few times before. Once with you in Seattle, and the other couple times in, like, middle school." Her blush had faded a little, but her cheeks were still decidedly pink.

"Well, I think you did fine," Max assured her, smiling and walking over to where the taller girl stood by the low shelves, "Ten/ten, would slow dance again." Chloe's lips parted into a grin.

"I'm glad," she replied, "Like, I get that you're laidback and fine with whatever, but I'm still really happy you're patient with me figuring relationship stuff out, you know?" Max smiled, and she took another step closer, draping her arms around Chloe's neck and booping the taller girl's nose with her own.

"It's not like I'm some sort of expert or anything," Max pointed out, "But yes, I'm always up for helping you do cutesy romantic things." Rising on her tiptoes slightly, she touched her lips to Chloe's in another soft kiss.

"Um, on the subject of cutesy romantic things," Chloe mumbled once Max settled back down onto her heels, blushing and glancing away, "I saw posters for a, uh, Valentine's Day dance thing when I was visiting you the other day. Is that- is that a thing you'd wanna go to together?" Max raised her eyebrows and smiled.

"Are you asking me out to a dance?" she asked, voice teasing again. Chloe was so adorable. They'd spent so much time together over the last few months, including most nights. They'd made out, they'd made love, and Chloe had been at her house for Thanksgiving, Christmas, _and_ New Year's, but here she was blushing and stammering over something as mundane as asking Max to a dumb school dance. What, did Chloe think she was gonna turn her down?

"I guess so, yeah," Chloe muttered, biting her lip before sighing and putting her arms around Max, "But, like, do you wanna? I get it if you think it's dumb and hokey or something. I've just, uh, I've just never been to a school dance as anybody's date, y'know?" Max rolled her eyes and sighed.

"Yes, Chloe, I'd be happy to go to the Blackwell Valentine's dance with you," she replied, grinning up at the blue haired girl. Chloe grinned broadly, and squeezed Max in a hug for a moment before relaxing her grasp.

"Thanks," Chloe murmured, resting her forehead against Max's, "I've always wanted to ask my crush to a dance. But I couldn't, because she was in Seattle. That, and I dropped out of school. But it was on my bucket list, y'know?" Max smiled.

"Same," she agreed, "But you beat me to it. Guess I'll just have to wait until prom."

"Oh?" Chloe asked, "Is that a _prom_ -ise?" She broke into a big, dorky grin as Max groaned.


	72. Valentine's Day - Part 1

Chloe had never really been big on Valentine's Day. Like, as a kid she'd enjoyed getting candy and stuff at school, but that hadn't had any emotional side to it. Everyone got everyone candy and cards, so it was just an excuse to waste half an hour of class and get hopped up on sugar. When she'd come home with a backpack full of store-bought cards, Mom and Dad would teasingly ask her if she'd gotten any special valentines from any boys, and she'd groan and scoff.

Her parents kept that up all the way through middle school, too, although then it went from annoying to sort of uncomfortable and embarrassing. Kids in her class were starting to sort of pair off at that point. Not like actual dating or anything, but they were developing crushes and asking each other to "go out," in that mostly meaningless tween way. Even though Mom and Dad were mostly just teasing when they asked if there were any boys she _like_ liked, it still forced Chloe to admit that no, there were none.

At first she'd just assumed that something would click eventually. Then she started to worry that maybe there was something wrong with her. At some point she did start of piece together that there _was_ someone she "like liked," but that someone was a girl. Specifically, that someone was Max.

On an abstract level, she'd actually been mostly fine with that. Mom and Dad's social circle wasn't exactly a vibrant spectrum of gender identities and sexual orientations, but they'd never really said anything negative about gays or lesbians, either, so Chloe hadn't gone through any sort of "racked with self-loathing" period about being into girls.

Actually telling Max how she felt was another matter entirely, though. For one thing, it's hard enough to tell your crush about your feelings for them in the best of circumstances. Add standard issue tween awkwardness to the equation and the fact that odds were good Max could never feel the same way in a million bajillion years, and Chloe had been reluctant to go ahead and come clean. Besides that, she hadn't really started to put all the pieces together until like eighth grade, and so Max was moving away and Dad was dead by the time she'd actually gotten to the point where she was gonna say something.

In high school Valentine's Day had been pretty shitty. In freshman year she'd still been pretty bummed about Max's absence, and by the time mid-February rolled around in sophomore year she'd already developed enough attitude to just write off the whole thing. It was a stupid holiday anyway, right? By junior year she had fallen for Rachel, but that was sort of just the Max problem all over again. In the end they'd just gotten stoned in the junkyard on Valentine's Day of what would have been her senior year if she hadn't dropped out, and Chloe had suggested they "practice kissing."

Come Valentine's Day 2013, Rachel had been pushing Chloe away for a little while already. Looking back, Chloe figured she must have already been hanging out with Frank by then. Or maybe Jefferson. Or Nathan? Maybe all three? She usually tried not to think about that anymore. The point was, Valentine's Day of last year had been mostly just sitting around alone in her room feeling bitter and trying to pretend it wasn't because of Rachel.

That lifetime streak of shitty Valentine's Days was about to break, though, because Chloe was driving to Blackwell to meet up with her girlfriend and go to a dance. Going through her closet earlier that week, she'd found that she actually didn't really have that much to wear, at least not to something vaguely fancy. Mostly just a few button-up shirts and black pants, and a couple random sundresses Mom had bought her, because she "just looks so nice in pastels."

She'd gone with a pair of black slacks and a blue collared shirt, sort of just a spruced up version of the outfit she'd brought to Seattle. Max had seemed to really like that getup, and Chloe had included a simple black tie and a decent jacket she'd picked up from the Salvation Army to look a bit more fancy. All the rich kids at Blackwell would probably look way more glamorous and fancy than her, but Max probably wouldn't mind, right?

Shrugging, Chloe turned the corner and pulled into the Blackwell parking lot. Whatever. She wanted to look good, but just for Max, and Max seemed to like her well enough no matter what she was wearing. Chloe hadn't had really had much reason to ever get all dressed up the last couple years, but she had been pretty happy with how the whole outfit looked when she'd checked herself out in the mirror. It'd be fine.

Most of the time when she went to visit Max at Blackwell, Chloe just sort of showed up a little after three, when Max's classes ended. For this weekend, though, they'd agreed that Chloe should show up just before the dance was actually supposed to start. From there, Chloe was supposed to meet Max at the doors of the girls' dorm, and they'd walk over to the gym together.

The campus was pretty quiet as Chloe walked over to Max's dorm. Everyone was probably up in their rooms getting ready, she figured. Hopefully she wouldn't have to wait too long for Max. It wasn't like she had anyplace to be or anything, but it was sort of cold out, and Chloe didn't have a key to the dorms. Max wasn't super fussy about her presentation, though, and Chloe was a pretty easy audience anyway, so Chloe sort of assumed it wouldn't be too long.

Chloe took a seat on one of the courtyard benches to wait. After a little while, girls started to leave the building, some alone and others in little groups. A few were met by one of the boys who had congregated in the courtyard after Chloe had sat down, but most just went straight on out the gate toward the gym. Max couldn't be far behind, Chloe thought.

Sure enough, after a few more minutes of waiting, Max texted that she was on her way down. Chloe hopped to her feet and hurriedly adjusted her clothes, trying to make sure everything sat just right. Like she'd been telling herself all night, Max was a pretty easy audience, but she still wanted to look her best. The sound of the door opening caught Chloe's attention after a moment, though, and she looked up from fussing with her jacket.

Fittingly enough, Max had worn a red dress for the occasion. The same one from Christmas, it looked like, with the same black sash around the waist. She'd added some white stockings, too, which made for a nice contrast with the sash, and she wore a bright red ribbon in her hair. Seeing her there, lit from above by the light over the doors, Chloe felt her heart leap.

It wasn't so much that Max was dressed super gorgeous or anything. Like, Chloe always thought Max was beautiful, whether she was in a pretty dress or just a T-shirt and jeans, but that wasn't what made her heart flutter. It was more that Max was dressed up all pretty specifically for a night with _her_. It made her feel special, and Chloe loved feeling like she was special to Max. She didn't have any reason to doubt that, of course, but she still loved it just the same.

"Look at you, dressed all fancy," Max remarked, smiling as she walked over to Chloe and looking the taller girl up and down, "I'm liking the jacket." Chloe felt herself blushing a bit, and she smiled a little.

"Thanks," she mumbled, offering out her arm for Max, "You look really good, too." Max gently took Chloe's arm and snuggled close, and the two of them started toward the gym.

"I'm glad you think so," Max replied, resting her head on Chloe's shoulder, "I didn't really have much to work with, especially not here at school. I never really dress up for stuff." Chloe turned to give Max a kiss on the top of her head as they walked.

"I sure as hell loved this getup last time you wore it, so it was a good choice," Chloe assured her, reaching over her other hand to rest on Max's in the crook of her elbow, "But I always think you're beautiful." Max made a happy little cooing noise and nuzzled Chloe's shoulder a bit as they walked, and they soon arrived at the gym, falling in with a vague line of other students filing into the atrium.

Thinking back to October, Chloe remembered a really different vibe going on outside the Vortex party than this one. People had been wandering around shitfaced right in the open, and nobody'd really seemed to care. Then again, maybe they'd all just been pre-gaming and the inside had been as innocent as a friggin' middle school social, but she doubted it.

There were teachers sitting at a table in the atrium checking people's tickets and stuff. Chloe hadn't really pressed Max on details about the inside of the Vortex Club party in the alternate timeline, but what little the brunette had said made it sound like the event hadn't been particularly well-supervised. There'd been plenty of faculty on hand at the "welcome back" mixer, too. Even if Blackwell wasn't saying anything publicly, Chloe got the sense they'd ramped up the faculty presence in response to Jefferson's little side project coming to light.

"Good lord, Chloe Price?" the teacher in front of them gasped when Chloe and Max reached the ticket table, "I was sure you were expelled!" It took a moment, but Chloe recognized the woman sitting on the other side of the table as Ms. Grant, who'd taught some of her science and math classes back when she went to Blackwell. She sure as hell remembered Chloe, it looked like.

"Yeah, I, uh, was," Chloe admitted, feeling a bit awkward. As she remembered it, Ms. Grant had tried to encourage her well after most of her other teachers wrote her off as a burnout. Sinking effort into someone who ultimately just dropped out had probably been a disappointment for her, Chloe guessed, and that was a bummer. Like, Chloe didn't mind pissing people off if they were dicks to her or something, but letting people down was sort of a sore spot for her.

"Chloe's here as my date," Max explained, cutting into the silence that was threatening to extend to an uncomfortable length, "She should be on the list. We filled out the all the forms and stuff for having a plus-one." Breaking out of her momentary shock, Ms. Grant glanced down at a table of names in front of her and searched for a moment.

"You sure did," she confirmed, resting her finger on Max's name, which had Chloe's printed in a box next to it, "I can take your tickets, and you can go right in." Max gently pulled her hand away from Chloe's arm and opened her purse, pulling out two tickets and handing them to Ms. Grant, who tore them and returned the stubs.

"Oh, and Chloe," Ms. Grant added before the two of them left, "If you haven't done your GED yet, I can get you information on prep courses and such. If you want." Well shit. Now she had to, didn't she.

"Thanks," Chloe mumbled, still not making direct eye contact, "I'll, um, I'll get in contact." Ms. Grant just smiled and nodded before waving them along their way so the line could keep moving. Max took Chloe's arm again, which relaxed her some, and they walked over to the doors into the gym itself.

"Ready for your first high school dance?" Max teased, smiling up at Chloe as they paused.

"Yup," Chloe replied, breaking into a grin, "We're gonna be the cutest couple in there, right?"

"I'll think so, at least," Max assured her, "But I think we've got pretty good odds, anyway. We're _pretty_ cutesy."

"Can't argue with that," Chloe agreed, reaching out to take the handle of one of the doors and starting to pull, "Let's do this!"


	73. Valentine's Day - Part 2

The gym that night had a very different feel from the pool room back at the End of the World party, Max noticed. The room was dimmed and there were decorative lights and stuff, just like back in October, but the place wasn't as raucous or chaotic. The "DJ" was just a student at a laptop, not a professional, and teachers and staff lined the walls, keeping an eye on the proceedings. A few adults Max thought she recognized as local parents stood at a table with prepackaged snacks and cans of soda on it.

Granted, the night was still young. For all Max knew, the former members of the Vortex Club would all show up totally blasted in like an hour and take over. Somehow she doubted it, though. The party in the first week of the semester had been really chill, and the army of chaperones seemed like it was there to keep things safe and sane. Plus, Nathan wasn't around anymore, and Max got the sense that he'd been sort of the key to the Vortex Club, providing funding for all the booze and theatrics, getting drugs, and using his family's clout to keep the school and the cops from breaking up the parties. With him out of the picture, the rest of the Vortex Club probably couldn't actually stir up much trouble, especially with the school administration on alert.

Max shook her head to clear it. She hadn't come here to worry or be on the lookout. She'd even snapped a polaroid before leaving her room and stowed it in her clutch as a precaution. Things would be fine. Squeezing Chloe's arm gently, she walked the two of them away from the door and into the gym, trying to just focus on having fun.

"So, how does this go?" Chloe asked as they started to drift towards one side of the room, "I haven't done this since middle school. Should we stand at opposite ends of the room and just look at each other awkwardly for like an hour before I come over to ask you to dance?" Max snickered.

"I don't think that's necessary," she replied, leaning her head over onto Chloe's shoulder for a second, "We can start dancing right now, if we want to."

"Can we leave our friends behind?" Chloe pressed, a smile in her voice. Max groaned, kicking herself for not seeing that coming a mile away.

"How about we not ditch everybody until later?" Max suggested, moving around to face Chloe and smiling up at her, "I mean, we _just_ got here, and those tickets were ten bucks each."

"Fair enough," Chloe agreed, nodding and returning Max's smile, "So I guess we dance for a while, then." She paused for a moment, listening to the music filling the gym. "Not exactly a romantic slow jam right this second, though. We'll have to improvise. At least in middle school they had the cha-cha slide or whatever. The one that tells you what to do."

"Oh, they _still_ play that," Max assured her, reaching down to take Chloe's hand and leading her back out from the wall and onto the dance floor, "But in the meantime I'm sure we can figure it out." Chloe shrugged and started to bounce in time with the music, getting a feel for it. After a minute or so she was more or less dancing, adapting her usual thrashing to be a bit less violent and erratic to match the music. For her part, Max ended up doing some sort of jitterbug-esque series of movements. She probably looked dorky, she figured, but it didn't matter. Chloe wouldn't mind, and her's was the only opinion Max really cared much about.

The gym was fairly big, but Blackwell, being a selective private school and all, didn't really have a population large enough to fill the whole thing. People who were dancing mostly congregated in the center of the room, including Max and Chloe. Everyone else sort of lurked around the edges of the room, except for a handful who were hanging out in a clump by the snack table.

After a few fast songs, something slow came on, and the crowd reshuffled. The people who'd been dancing single or in small groups left the floor or paired off, and couples who'd been over along the walls migrated out into the center of the room. When the music switched over, Chloe took one of Max's hands and gave an exaggerate bow.

"Max, may I have this dance?" she asked, eyes twinkling as she gave a wink and kissed Max's knuckle. Playing along, Max gasped and brought her free hand up to her throat, feigning surprise.

"Yes, you may!" Max replied, earning a genuine smile from Chloe as the taller girl stood up straight again. Max took a step closer and rested her free hand on Chloe's shoulder, and the blue haired girl reached down to slide her arm around Max's waist. Sighing with contentment, Max closed her eyes and rested her head on Chloe's shoulder as the two of them began to sway to the music.

Being nestled up against Chloe and swaying along with the music felt really nice. Like, it was just a dumb high school dance and all, but it still felt really special to be slow-dancing with Chloe. They'd danced together in private, but it was different in a setting like this. Max had never actually done much slow-dancing before getting together with Chloe, except for one time in middle school where she and a boy in her grade had awkwardly shuffled back and forth holding each other at arm's length for a song before going their separate ways, so she was willing to concede she probably wasn't _great_ at it. But then again, Chloe didn't have much experience either, right? On this, at least, they were more or less even.

"This feels pretty great," Chloe murmured as they swayed, sliding her hand up Max's back and neck to stroke her hair, "We shoulda done this sooner." Max smiled and raised her eyebrows, but didn't bother lifting her head or opening her eyes.

"We didn't really have an opportunity before now," she pointed out, matching Chloe's tone and volume as she nuzzled the taller girl's shoulder a bit.

"I was like _this_ close to asking you out to a dance one time in middle school," Chloe noted, softly pressing her cheek to Max's forehead, "I chickened out, though." Max shrugged.

"It wouldn't have been the same," she said, lifting her head from Chloe's shoulder so she could look into her eyes, "Like, we were best friends sort of crushing back then. We're in love now." Chloe didn't speak for a few seconds, just looking back into Max's eyes.

"Fair point," she breathed after a moment, "And, like, even if I had, I probably wouldn't have had the nerve to do this." Chloe leaned forward a bit, and Max leaned to meet her, seeing where this was going. Their lips touched, and Max felt like she was melting. She was slow-dancing in the middle of a dance floor, kissing the girl she loved. It was hokey, but she felt like a camera should have been panning out from the two of them as credits started to roll.

Before her cinematic flight of fancy could go too far, though, the song came to its end, and there was a second of silence before someone clapped. The sharp noise jolted Max, and she hurriedly looked around before spotting Dana and Juliet watching from the nearest wall. Dana was the one clapping, while Juliet smacked her on the shoulder before turning back and seeing that Max had noticed them. Grinning awkwardly, she waved and gave a thumbs up. Maybe it should have made her feel embarrassed or uncomfortable, but Max just rolled her eyes and smiled to herself. Whatevs.

"Come on, let's take a break from dancing for a bit," she said to Chloe, taking a step back from Chloe and starting to lead her from the floor. Slow-dancing hadn't been strenuous, but she had worked up a bit of a sweat dancing to the quicker songs, and so she was feeling a bit thirsty. They drifted toward the snack booth.

"I think that might be the first time I got a standing ovation for kissing anybody," Chloe remarked as Max handed over two dollars to the woman at the booth in exchange for a bottle of water.

"No, I think we got some claps and cheers when we were making out at Liv's show in Portland," Max noted, "You know, the first one, in October." Chloe smiled at the memory.

"Touché," she replied, grinning, "Also, your friends are dorks." Max snickered, glancing over to where Juliet seemed to be lecturing an unrepentant Dana.

"Yeah," Max agreed, watching with amusement as the pair argued, "But it's nice they approve of you. Or, I mean, I assume they do. That's what I think clapping means, anyway."

"The tall one does, anyway," Chloe agreed, "Dana, right? I guess the blonde one probably does, too, she just has the sense not to make a scene. But others do, too?" Max turned back to look at Chloe, who had raised her eyebrows and looked a little hopeful.

"Well, Kate said we looked like 'a husband and wife,'" Max explained, "Which is high praise from the president of a purity club." Chloe snickered.

"I guess," she laughed, "Think we can get her to put that in writing, so I can show it to my mom and she'll let us just share a damn room? Like a doctor's note, but for prudishness?" Max laughed.

"I think aiding and abetting in an act of sexiness would be a few steps too far," Max replied, "Even for the new, more open-minded Kate Marsh." Chloe shrugged.

"Eh, just tossing the idea out there." Max rolled her eyes and snickered.

The rest of the dance went pretty smoothly. During fast songs Max and Chloe would alternate between just dancing however the mood struck them and relaxing on the sidelines. Over the course of the night they ended up sort of hanging out and chatting with various other people lurking along the walls. Dana and Juliet eventually made their way over to talk for a while, and it seemed like the cheerleader, at least, had managed to down a wine cooler or two before coming to the gym. Warren and Brooke swung by at one point, although they didn't stick around as long. Victoria even said something backhandedly nice about Chloe's outfit when she stopped by to look the two of them up and down, which was a nice surprise.

The real highlight of the night was when Max got to slow-dance with Chloe, though. Like, she'd kind of assumed that was how things were gonna go down, but it was pleasant nonetheless. Maybe she should have thought that high school dances in the gym were hokey or something, but Max still felt like dancing with Chloe, snuggled up close to her as they swayed to the music and murmuring all sorts of cutesy stuff to each other, was super romantic.

Doing that in her backyard and Chloe's bedroom had been really pleasant, too, but being in this semi-formal public setting ramped it up some. For one thing, Max knew how much Chloe loved public displays of affection, and she _definitely_ seemed to be enjoying this. Making Chloe feel special was always something Max enjoyed, but she was finding she also liked showing off for her own sake, too. "This is my Chloe, I love her so much! Look how much I love her!" It was like how she felt when she wanted to geek out to people about her favorite photographers or movies, but even more so. Chloe was her best friend, Chloe was her beloved, and Chloe was sort of her fandom.

Eventually, it started to get late. Checking her phone as they left the floor after the latest round of dancing, Max saw there was maybe an hour before the dance ended and everyone was sent home, either to their dorms or off-campus. Given the occasion, she and Chloe probably weren't the only couple planning on enjoying a special night together, and Max wanted to have at least a bit of time in relative peace and quiet to get all loveydovey with Chloe before the dorms got noisy. Maybe that would just be karma at this point, but still.

"Wanna duck out a little early?" she asked as they came to a stop by a wall, nuzzling Chloe's cheek and neck, "I've, um, I've got a surprise waiting."

"Well I can't say no to _that_ ," Chloe replied, kissing Max's forehead before taking her hand and starting toward the door. Taking a few quick steps to catch up, Max fell in beside her and took her arm again, snuggling close as they passed through the foyer and out into the night.

Just like Max had hoped, the grounds were more or less abandoned. The night air was a little chilly, but that just made Max snuggle closer to Chloe, which was fine with her. They didn't talk as they made their way from the gym to the girls' dorms, but they didn't really need to. A few moments of quiet and calm after being in the noisy gym was nice, Max thought. It let her recharge a bit.

"Okay, close your eyes," Max whispered when they came to a stop in front of her door. Smiling, Chloe obeyed, and Max opened the door and led Chloe into her room. "Now open them."

"God, Max," Chloe murmured after a moment of silence, a broad grin on her face as she looked around the room.

Max had put a bunch of battery-powered tea lights all around her room, giving the space a warm, dim glow. As it had turned out, there was a pretty big demand for red roses in the week leading up to Valentine's Day- huge shock there- so Max hadn't been able to sprinkle a trail of petals from the door to her bed, but she had tried to make do with bits of red tissue paper. In that same vein, she'd put a bouquet of pipe cleaner and tissue paper roses on her pillow. There were two glass champagne flutes on her desk, next to an ice filled cooler with a bottle of sparkling grape juice sticking out of it. Maybe it wasn't exactly a honeymoon suite, but Max felt pretty proud of what she'd managed to put together with her limited funds and a trip to the local Target.

"So do you like it?" Max asked softly, a hopeful smile on her lips as she looked up at Chloe. The taller girl blinked a few times really quickly before wiping her eyes with her sleeve, then nodded vigorously. She pulled Max into a tight hug and planted a long, hot kiss on the brunette's lips.

"I love it," Chloe breathed, letting her forehead rest against Max's as they stood there in front of the door, "This is- I just- Max, this is, like, the sweetest thing anyone's ever done for me. _Ever._ " Max smiled, bringing one hand up to stroke Chloe's cheek.

"I just wanted to make it a special night for you," she explained quietly, staring into those piercing blue eyes, "Happy Valentine's Day, darling."

 **A/N: Welp, it finally broke 100K words.**


	74. Marked

At some point on Saturday morning, Chloe opened her eyes. Max was snuggled up next to her, the way she usually was when they slept together. The room around them wasn't exactly cold, but they'd left the window open a bit to keep it cool after they'd worked up a sweat. That led to them cuddling under some nice warm blankets, and the comfortable weight of the covers felt nice as Chloe just lazily stared at the ceiling.

Last night had been really great. Max had really gone all out on her room, and Chloe had felt like she her heart was gonna burst when she first saw the place. Everything had felt really classic, but with a do-it-yourself twist. Like, Max had sort of been limited by being just a teenager living in a dorm room, but that had somehow made the whole thing even sweeter, Chloe thought. She'd had to tear up tissue paper for the "rose petals," and those crafty little roses had probably taken some real effort to get right. Even the battery powered lights and kiddie champagne had been super cute, since Max had had to go out of her way to find dorm friendly substitutes to actual candles and booze.

The whole night had been super romantic, really. Even before they'd gotten back to Max's room, Chloe had loved dancing with her, even if it was just to whatever slow songs from the Top 40 showed up on someone's Pandora in a high school gym. The "where" wasn't important, just the "what" and "who." That scene when Max told her to open her eyes really pushed the night over the edge from "cutesy romantic" to "passionate, special romantic," though.

Chloe gently squeezed Max closer. The brunette was sleeping soundly, and had been all through the night. Thinking back to last night, Chloe smiled and softly kissed the top of Max's head. She'd sure earned herself a good night's sleep.

Eventually, though, Max started to shift around a little and stretch. Rolling her neck and shoulders, she looked up at Chloe and smiled, still looking really sleepy. "Early morning Max" was adorable. Well, Chloe thought Max was _always_ adorable, but first thing in the morning especially.

"Good morning, darling," Max mumbled groggily. Chloe smiled and stroked Max's hair, brushing it out of her face.

"Good morning to you, too," Chloe whispered back, "Thanks again for last night."

"Like I said, I wanted to make it special for you," Max replied, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes, "Show you a good time and all that stuff."

"Well, you sure did that," Chloe assured her, leaning towards Max so that their noses touched, "Everything was perfect. It was like, I don't know, like out of a movie or something."

"Without the tasteful fade to black, though," Max noted, winking. Chloe snorted.

"Yeah," she agreed, running her fingertips along Max's spine, "Thank God for that." Max gave a happy little sigh and settled her head back down against Chloe's shoulder. For her part, Chloe went on stroking Max's back and hair, enjoying the gentle contact and soft, pleased little coos it earned.

Brushing Max's hair behind her ear at one point, Chloe noticed a little bruise at the base of her neck. Memories of how it got there immediately came to the surface in Chloe's mind, and she couldn't help but smile. Shifting around a little and pulling Max up towards her face, Chloe leaned down to kiss the spot, this time with a great deal more tenderness.

"Looks like you've got a hickey," Chloe reported, leaning back again to rest her head on the pillow, "Hope you don't mind."

"I do?" Max asked, reaching up a hand and feeling the spot Chloe had kissed, "Hm. Why would I mind?" Her voice was lazy but cheerful, and she lifted her head to smile at Chloe.

"I dunno," Chloe replied, shrugging a bit, "Some people don't like getting marks. Maybe 'cause it tips everyone off that they were messing around or something. I don't know."

"Nah, it's fine with me," Max murmured, "If people haven't put it together yet that we're having sex, they never will. It's not something we're trying to hide, anyway, right?" Chloe grinned.

"I mean, you _do_ try and 'shush' me a lot," she pointed out, teasing. Max rolled her eyes.

"That's just a courtesy thing," Max insisted, scoffing but smiling all the same, "I don't care if people know we sleep together, but I figure they probably don't want to hear the play-by-play, you know?" Chloe chuckled at that.

"I'm glad," she said, "Like, I like leaving marks and stuff. Makes sure everyone knows you're mine." Max's cheeks turned pink and she gave a wide grin.

"I sure am," she agreed, climbing up onto Chloe all the way and bringing her face close for a kiss, "But you know, you're _mine_ , too." She pressed a kiss against Chloe's neck. "Should we match?"

"Yes please!" Chloe responded immediately. The thought of having a thing marking her as Max's, even if only the two of them really knew that's what it meant, made her heart leap. That had always been her fantasy, to be special to somebody, and Max had spent the last few months bringing that dream to life. So yeah, a hickey from Max was definitely welcome.

Chloe bit her lip and smiled as Max gently nipped her neck. She loved that little jolt from biting, and she'd been pleased that Max seemed to be getting a little more comfortable with it lately. The brunette released the patch of skin from her teeth only to kiss and suck the spot for a little bit. Chloe wasn't sure if it was because Max was trying to make sure a mark actually developed, or if she was just getting into it, but Chloe wasn't gonna complain one way or the other.

"There," Max whispered, pressing one last, soft kiss against the bite before coming back to face Chloe, "Now everyone will know you're mine." The little brunette's face looked a bit flushed, and she gazed at Chloe with fond, playful eyes.

"Good," Chloe murmured in reply, leaning in for another kiss, "That's truth in advertising, right there."


	75. Rumblings

**A/N: After four fluffy chapters, this one's mostly plot... :/ More fluff will come shortly, though.**

"So, what did you think of the Blackwell showers?" Max asked, voice dripping with sarcasm, as she led Chloe out of the dorm bathroom, "Are they luxurious or what?"

"Oh yeah, totally," Chloe replied, rolling her eyes and snickering, "Cramped little stalls are great!" They both laughed and rounded the corner to head back towards Max's room. Luckily, Max paid just enough attention as they walked to catch sight of Kate, and she quickly sidestepped to avoid the petite blonde.

"Oh dear, sorry," Kate squeaked, reaching up to remove the large earmuffs she was wearing, "I didn't hear you coming…"

"It's fine, Kate," Max assured her, giving an apologetic smile, " _I'm_ sorry for almost bumping into you." Max was curious about Kate's odd headwear, but figured maybe she just shouldn't pester.

"What's up with the earmuffs?" Chloe asked, giving the set a perplexed look. So much for that.

"Oh, um, well, it's Valentine's Day weekend," Kate explained. Max and Chloe's confusion must have shown, though, because Kate went on. "The earmuffs, uh, well, they sort of block out sound. And I figured there'd be a lot of, ahem, _sound_." She gave the two of them a meaningful look, and Max felt herself blushing.

"Heh, I see," Chloe replied, amusement in her voice, "Nice thinking ahead."

"Thank you," Kate mumbled, "I've been trying to get a good night's sleep every night these past couple days. It helps me relax better." That set Max on edge, and she studied Kate's face carefully.

"Kate, is everything okay?" she asked, "People haven't started picking on you again, have they?" Granted, October had been a pretty exceptional circumstance, so maybe Kate could take care of herself against mundane bullying, but Max still felt protective.

"No, nothing like that," Kate replied, shaking her head, "Sort of the opposite, actually. It's-" She glanced around then leaned in, taking on a hushed, conspiratorial tone, "Sorry, I'm not supposed to say much about it. The things that happened in the fall, with Nathan and the video and everything… Principal Wells asked me if I would be willing to give a testimony!" Max's eyebrows shot up, and she felt Chloe grab her shoulder, squeezing a bit.

"Testimony? About what, exactly?" Chloe probed.

"I-I'm not supposed to talk about it," Kate reiterated, shuffling back a few steps, "There were forms, and lawyers, I think…" Chloe took a step forward, following Kate.

"Is it Jefferson? Is he going on trial?" she pressed, "What did they ask you about?" Kate shrunk further at Chloe's onslaught, and she began to mumble her protest. Max raised her hand and focused.

"Thank you," Kate mumbled, "I've been trying to get a good night's sleep every night these past couple days. It helps me relax better."

"Well, I'm glad you found a trick that works!" Max said quickly, reaching over to take Chloe's hand and give it a firm squeeze, "I'll have to try that next time I take a train trip." Kate smiled.

"Oh, definitely," she agreed, giving a nod, "Earmuffs are the key to good sleep, if you're in a noisy environment."

"Makes sense," Max remarked, giving a quick nod, "Have a nice morning."

"You, too!" Kate replied, beaming before she turned to continue on to the bathroom. With Kate gone, Max led Chloe back to her room, shutting the door behind them and plopping herself down on the couch. Chloe looked her over and sat down beside her.

"I did something bad, didn't I?" She mumbled, shoulders slumping a little. Max bit her lip and fidgeted for a moment.

"I can always tell, when you squeeze my hand like that," Chloe added. Max sighed and reached out to turn Chloe's face towards her.

"You pressed an issue with Kate she didn't wanna talk about," Max explained, trying to keep her voice gentle, "She started getting a little flustered, so I rewound to head it off." She scooted a little closer to Chloe, and slid her hand down the side of Chloe's neck and to her shoulder, giving a gentle squeeze. Max knew Chloe could tell that was a reassuring squeeze, not a shut up squeeze. She could, right?

"Well, that was shitty of me," Chloe grumbled, even as her face softened at Max's show of affection, "I'll try not to be pushy and shit. Sorry." Shaking her head slightly, Max pulled Chloe to her, lightly running her hand along the taller girl's back.

"It's okay," Max assured her, hugging Chloe tight for a moment before releasing her so they could both sit more comfortably, "Like, yeah, do try and be more chill, but it's fine. I fixed it." Chloe scoffed.

"Yeah, but you shouldn't have to go around cleaning up after me like I'm a dumb kid or something," she insisted, "I should be able to not keep screwing things up." It _would_ be nice if Chloe would be a bit better behaved, Max had to admit. She had a habit of speaking without thinking.

"Just try and take a second to think things through," Max suggested, "You can be a little reckless."

"I sure am that," Chloe agreed, shrugging a little and taking on a self-deprecating smile, "But I'll try not to be. With you around, I've got a future worth thinking about." Max grinned.

"Exactly," she replied, shifting closer and leaning in to give Chloe an eskimo kiss. Escalating things, Chloe leaned in a bit more to make it a full kiss.

"So, what did I get so worked up about, anyway?" she asked after her lips left Max's. Max glanced around. Mostly involuntarily, considering they were safely in her room and stuff, but it just came naturally.

"Apparently Kate's had to give some sort of testimony about the stuff in October," Max explained, keeping her voice down, "I think Jefferson's trial might be happening soon. Or happening already. It looks so fast on TV, but it can't be that quick for real, right?" Chloe's eyes had widened as soon as Max had mentioned October, and she was staring intently.

"Jefferson's going on trial?!" Chloe asked in a hiss, "Like, everything's finally gonna come out? About him, and about Nathan and shit?!" She'd kept her voice down at least, Max noticed. Yay, progress.

"She said she wasn't supposed to really talk about it," Max noted, "And remember, so far as she knows she never actually told us anything. But yeah, that's what it sounded like." Something occurred to her.

"Shit, we might be next," Max remarked. On the one hand, she really _did_ want Jefferson to get put away for life or whatever. But then again, she also really _didn't_ want to have to dredge up all that crap again. Plus, she'd have to figure out how to tell her part of the story without bringing up time travel, which could be tricky. There were even bits of her story that _she_ didn't know, stuff that had happened when she wasn't really her. This could get complicated…

"Maybe," Chloe mumbled, nodding, "Crap, that was… Max, David said something weird the other day." To be fair, David said a _lot_ of weird things, but Chloe's tone gave away that she wasn't just talking smack about her step-dad. Something was up.

"What was it?" Max asked.

"He told me to come to him or the cops right away if anybody harassed me or threatened me," Chloe explained, "And, like, he said that the morning after he got called into Blackwell really late. Do you think-" She paused for a moment, taking a deep breath. "Do you think that stuff was connected to this?" That was a chilling thought. Like, just having to give a deposition or whatever would be taxing enough, but if people were threatening them the whole time? Max shivered, thinking back to the texts she'd gotten back in October. Some were probably from Nathan, but his dad seemed pretty bad, too. _And_ it seemed like Mr. Prescott had been doing a lot of damage control, trying to act like Nathan had been killed by the hurricane, even though Max knew that was an outright lie.

"It sounds like it might be, yeah," Max acknowledged, "Did he say what had happened at Blackwell that meant he had to come running out here?" Chloe shook her head.

"Nah, he was real cagey about it," she explained, "Maybe Prescott hired someone to try and break into the school to destroy evidence or something? Like, the police _have_ to already know the whole story, but if he tries to pressure them at the same time…" She trailed off, her face looking strained.

"It won't work," Max declared, sounding a lot more confident than she felt, "There's no way Sean Prescott can make this just disappear. Not with all the evidence that the cops and the school have to already have. And David has all his records, _and_ if Kate is giving testimony, and we do too, about all the stuff we found and what all happened, and-" She cringed a second before continuing. "And I bet Jefferson's not willing to take the fall for Nathan. He'll try and bring the Prescotts down with him." Chloe nodded silently.

"I hope you're right," she murmured, "Like, you've gotta be, though, right?" She sounded hopeful bordering on irrational. Max knew there _was_ a way to be sure one way or the other, though. Good thing she'd bought a new bottle of Advil that week…

Max got up and grabbed her camera off her desk, holding it up and snapping a selfie. Even before the picture developed, she'd scribbled the date and time on the back in Sharpie, along with the words "Jefferson- Do we win?"

Just like that, Max was sitting back on the couch, looking at Chloe. She had a bit of a headache, but not too bad, at least. Glancing down at the polaroid in her hand, she pulled out her phone to compare the times. Sure enough, it had been like two minutes, even though she felt like just a second or two had gone by.

Chloe still looked a little on edge, but definitely less so. Her strained, worried look had been replaced by what looked like grim resolve, and her lips were curled in what looked like a mix between a smile and a snarl. Apparently noticing the slump and confusion that signaled Max's return, Chloe broke into a full-on grin, although even that looked a bit like she was baring her teeth in a growl.

"So, what's the verdict?" Max asked, already entertaining a suspicion based on Chloe's expression.

"We win," Chloe told her, pulling her into a tight embrace, "Max, we win."


	76. Hold Me

They'd gone ahead and worked on their story together for the rest of the morning. Neither of them really knew yet if they'd even get called in to talk to anybody. Maybe nobody would even care… Then again, Chloe and Max had been the people who'd tipped David off _about_ the bunker, and he'd probably tell the school or the cops or whoever that if they asked. Plus, Max had talked Kate down from the roof and she'd been in Jefferson's class, so that could make her a person of interest, too.

If they _did_ get called in to give testimony, though, they couldn't tell the whole truth. They couldn't talk about the time travel stuff, for instance, and the whole "breaking and entering" thing was probably also off limits. Chloe's memory of the whole thing was straightforward enough, if still pretty unsettling, but Max had jumped around through a couple timelines, so Chloe had wanted to make sure they were on the same page.

The two of them agreed to say they'd found the barn by using Frank's logbook and David's security records to track Nathan's car. Since Frank was dead and David had been the guy to lead the bust, that seemed pretty safe to say, at least in Chloe's opinion. From there, they had gone into the barn, seen the weird shit that was left in there, and hightailed it for the junkyard. When they'd… When they'd found a body- _Rachel's_ body- they had taken a bit of time to recover, then gone to tell David what they'd found. That was all pretty accurate, Chloe figured. Like, they'd glossed over a couple things, but nothing important to the case. Whatever. Future-Max had confirmed that Jefferson got put away for life, so that was some comfort.

Chloe still felt drained once they'd worked the story out, though. The intervening months had made it less raw for her, but going over the details of how she found Rachel's body was still plenty upsetting. At least this had come up _after_ Valentine's Day, so there was that. Sure would have killed the mood…

"What do you need?" Max asked quietly. She was still sitting next to Chloe on the couch in her room, but they didn't have their arms around each other or anything. Picking apart the details of the October hell week had sort of put a damper on their cuddle instincts for the moment, but it still felt good to have Max there next to her, Chloe thought. That much felt right.

"I dunno," Chloe mumbled. It was a tricky question. The emotional pain of digging everything up again was still throbbing the back of her mind, but the more pressing issue for her was how antsy and stressed she felt about it all. She wanted to work that out somehow. Run, thrash, screw, whatever worked.

"Okay," Max replied, "Can you… Can you still stay here with me, though?" Her voice wavered a bit.

"Definitely," Chloe assured her, "Like, is there anything you need from me? As long as we're talking about that and all." Max sighed and she didn't say anything for a moment.

"I need to feel safe," she explained, "I get it if you just want to just be shut down for a little while or whatever, but could you hold me? Please?" Chloe nodded and lifted an arm for Max to settle under. Instead, the brunette climbed up onto her lap and curled up against her chest. Gently, Chloe wrapped her arms around Max and held her tight, leaning down to press a kiss against the top of her head.

"Like this?" Chloe asked quietly, closing her eyes and keeping her face close to Max's head. The warmth radiating out from Max's scalp broke against her face, and she found herself enjoying the soft heat. Having an entire Max nestled against her and sitting on her lap was also pretty toasty, Chloe found. Chloe tried her best to focus on how nice it felt to hold Max close, so that maybe she'd calm down a bit too. Sure enough, that helped some.

"Yeah," Max whispered, "Thanks…"

"You don't need to thank me for cuddling you, Max," Chloe pointed, although she kept her voice quiet and gentle, "But you're welcome." Max cooed and nuzzled against Chloe's chest a bit, pressing an ear to her sternum.

"I just- I know that things just got real heavy real fast," Max explained, "So, like, I figured you might not have been in a touch-y mood, you know? So I appreciate you being touch-y, if it's just for me." Chloe allowed herself a small smile.

"Nah, you're good," Chloe murmured, reaching one hand up to run through Max's hair, "You're always welcome on my lap. Like, unless I'm driving or something, so use your best judgment or whatever. But you get the idea, right?" Max nodded against her chest.

The two of them stayed like that on Max's couch for close to an hour, mostly in silence. One or the other would whisper something sweet now and then, and Max made happy, appreciative sounds when Chloe stroked her hair. The stress of that morning had started to evaporate as Chloe held Max close to herself, and she thought she felt the tension leaving the smaller girl, too.

"Okay, I'm feeling better now," Max declared eventually, sitting up a bit and sighing, "Like, not all the way, I guess, but mostly." Chloe half-smiled and gave a lazy shrug.

"Yeah, I get that," she replied, "So, what do you wanna do with the rest of the day? Think it can be salvaged?" Max nodded.

"Oh, we can definitely turn this weekend back around and keep the cutesy flowing," the brunette said, smiling and draping her arms around Chloe's neck and shoulders, "I actually had a few ideas for stuff we could do, before this drama came up." Chloe raised her eyebrows. The setup last night had been better than anything she could have expected. What more could Max possibly have up her sleeve?

"Oh? What were they?" Chloe asked, her voice getting a little playful as the worry and dredged up discomfort of earlier started to shift to the back of her mind again. Max chuckled.

"Surprises," she replied, winking, "Do you wanna go grab breakfast first, though? Or brunch, now, I guess."

"Hells yeah," Chloe cheered, breaking into a grin, "I'm starving. Haven't eaten anything since like midnight."

"But we didn't have anything to-" Max started before she stopped and rolled her eyes, "God, I keep falling for that one." Chloe snickered.

"It never gets old," she noted, "Not for me, anyway." Max groaned and shook her head, but nevertheless ended up smiling at Chloe.

"You're a dork and a perv," Max teased, "But you're _my_ dorky perv, and I love you." Giving one last exaggerated sigh, she leaned in for a kiss. Chloe smiled against the brunette's lips. The weekend was back on track.


	77. Brunch

"What's a muffin flight?" Max asked, raising an eyebrow as she studied the menu. Although the Two Whales was the go-to restaurant for her and Chloe, she'd wanted to try something different for their Valentine's weekend. Whatever incentives the town and the Prescotts had been using to try and rejuvenate the town must have been working at least somewhat, it seemed like, because there were actual new businesses opening up in what amounted to downtown in Arcadia Bay.

One of the new additions to the main drag was a little café or bistro or whatever the trendy word for "restaurant" was, run by like the former assistant chef of some place in Portland. Remembering how much Chloe had loved that city, Max decided to give the place a shot. It smelled really nice, at least, but the menu was a bit confusing. Like, most of it was pretty standard, but Max wasn't entirely sure what distinguished an "English breakfast" from an American one, for example, or what yuba was…

"Well, like, a beer flight is where they bring you a bunch of little glasses of beer," Chloe noted, looking up from her own menu, "So maybe it's a plate with some mini muffins?" That sounded pretty good, Max thought to herself. She resolved to ask the waitress about that when she came back.

"So, have you, um, made any choices yet?" Max asked, probing in hopes that Chloe wasn't overwhelmed. She'd done pretty well at the nice places in Seattle Max's parents had taken them out to, but Max had been able to tell she was out of her depth.

"Oh, yeah," Chloe replied, smiling and setting the menu down, "Gonna get an order of bacon and some of these breakfast potatoes with the onions and peppers and shit."

"Is that it?" Max pressed, "Doesn't sound like all that much." Chloe shifted a bit in her chair, and glanced away.

"I just don't wanna break the bank or anything, you know?" she explained, "You already sprung for that setup last night. I don't wanna be too much of a bum." Max sighed and shook her head a little, reaching across the table to set her hand on Chloe's.

"Chloe, it's fine," Max insisted, giving a reassuring smile, "Just order whatever you want, darling." Dropping the D-word always had a way of soothing Chloe's nerves, Max had noticed. Sure enough, Chloe began to smile a little and looked back down at the menu.

"So, have you come to a decision?" the waitress asked when she approached their table a minute or so later. Max gave Chloe a nod, and the blue haired girl turned to the waitress.

"Yeah, I'd like the Denver Omelette, with bacon and breakfast potatoes as my sides," Chloe stated, "Oh, and a glass of that fresh squeezed orange juice."

"Alright, sounds good," the waitress said, writing down Chloe's order before turning to Max, "And you?"

"Can you, um, tell me about the muffin flight?" Max asked.

"Sure," the waitress replied, "We bring you a tray of eight mini muffins. Each one is a different flavor." Chloe had been right, apparently.

"I'll have that, then," Max decided, handing the waitress her menu, "With a berry cup, too, please. And could I get a glass of orange juice as well?"

"Definitely," the waitress assured her, scribbling down the order then taking both menus, "I'll have that right out." Turning from the table, she dropped the menus off at the hostess's station and then went back to enter their order for the kitchen.

"This is a nice place," Chloe remarked, glancing around the space, "Arcadia Bay must be coming up in the world." Max shrugged.

"As long as it's rebuilding from the ground up, I guess people decided to add some updates," Max replied, "Like, it'll never be the same as the Two Whales, but I get wanting to change things up a bit, you know? Have something for special occasions?" Chloe nodded.

"Yeah, I feel that," she agreed, "Plus, it's nice not to have my mom keep checking up on us."

"Oh, come on," Max sighed, smiling nevertheless, "It's not so bad. Joyce is nice. I like talking to her and stuff." Chloe shrugged.

"I guess," she conceded, "Always feels like she's spying on us, to me." Max could understand that, she supposed. It definitely seemed like Joyce wasn't sure how to feel about the two of them, at any rate. On the one hand, Joyce had said a couple times now that she really _did_ like Max, and that she was happy Chloe and Max had reconnected. On the other hand, though, the last five years had been sort of tumultuous for Chloe and Joyce, and she was probably used to being on edge and a little nosey. Whatever. Chloe might still have had her hackles up around her mom, but Max was fine with just letting it be.

"Well, the waitress here isn't gonna spy on us, at least, so you can rest easy," Max teased, hoping to keep the mood light, "I assume not, anyway."

"Hey, _she_ can spy as much as she wants," Chloe chuckled, resting her elbows on the table and leaning forward a bit, "Doesn't matter what she sees or thinks. For instance, if I do this," She leaned across the table and stole a quick kiss before settling back into her seat, "I'm not gonna get scolded about it later." Max blushed but smiled. Even though she still felt sort of awkward about PDA, Max loved when Chloe was playful like that. For one thing, she just loved kissing Chloe, but there was more to it than that. Playful Chloe was happy Chloe, Max found, and happy Chloe usually meant she didn't have anything to be worrying about.

After a few minutes, their food came out, including Max's plate of mini muffins. Once the waitress had set everything in front of them, they both dug in. Chloe ate pretty hastily at first, but glanced around at one point and then slowed to a more moderate pace. Table manners weren't the taller girl's strong suit, but Max had thought she noticed Chloe making an effort lately to be a bit more dignified. It wasn't like they were gonna have tea with the queen any time soon or something, but Max still appreciated that Chloe was trying.

For her part, Max found she really enjoyed the mini muffins. She liked some better than others, naturally. The double chocolate chip muffin was better than the poppy seed one, for instance, but they were all still pretty good. Eyeing Chloe's bacon, Max sort of regretted getting a fruit cup, but only until she ate the first strawberry slice. After the fresh, warm muffins, some crisp fruit set the perfect balance.

"Thanks for breakfast," Chloe said once the waitress dropped off the check, "Or brunch, I guess. Whatever. It was really good!" Max smiled as she got up from the table, and Chloe fell in beside her as she made her way to the front register to pay.

"Well I'm glad," she replied, reaching down to take Chloe's hand and give it a squeeze, "I was a little worried that trying someplace new wouldn't work out, you know? But this turned out nice, I think."

"Definitely," Chloe agreed, nodding, "We should do this more. Be like the starship Enterprise of breakfast foods. 'To boldly try omelets neither of them has tried before!'" Max snickered as Chloe began humming the TNG theme song, and she let go of the taller girl's hand only to settle up the check at the counter.

Once the cashier handed over the receipt, Max noticed Chloe trying to sneak a peek at the total. Hurriedly, Max wadded up the little slip of paper and shoved it in her pocket.

"Chloe, this weekend is my treat," Max insisted, swatting the taller girl's shoulder lightly as they turned to leave, "Don't worry about money or whatever. Just enjoy yourself." Chloe rolled her eyes and sighed before hurrying forward across the last few feet to the door to hold it open for Max.

"I know, I know," she grumbled, nevertheless putting an arm around Max's shoulders as the two of them walked along the sidewalk to where they'd parked, "You keep saying. Sorry, I'm still not all the way used to getting pampered."

"Well you'll just have to come to terms with it," Max replied, grinning and reaching up to stroke Chloe's arm, "I like treating you all special and stuff." She felt Chloe press a kiss against the side of her head as they walked, and she smiled at the sensation.

"If you insist," Chloe said, affecting an exaggerated sigh before breaking into giggling, "So, since you're the boss, where to next?" Releasing Max when they got to the truck, she walked around to the driver's side. Once the door was unlocked, Max climbed up into her own seat.

"Hold on," Max replied, catching Chloe's eye before making a show of reaching into her bag and pulling out a folded up piece of old paper, "Let me check the treasure map." Chloe grinned.


	78. The Real Treasure

Max's first direction had been to drive out to the beachfront, and park by where the sand gave way to grass. From there they'd gotten out of the truck and Max had led Chloe over to the treeline. The two of them walked along the edge of the woods, such as they were, for a few minutes before Max paused, studying the trees around where they stood.

Slowly walking between the trees, Max sort of looked around like she was trying to get her bearings. At length she stopped in an open space and knelt on the ground. Chloe raised an eyebrow but joined her in the clearing. The place seemed vaguely familiar, but so did pretty much the whole park. Chloe had been hanging out in these woods for as long as she could remember, with and without Max, so she was bound to have seen pretty much any spot at some time or other.

"We were here like ten years ago," Max explained, reaching into her satchel and pulling out a little gardening trowel, "Do you remember?" Chloe tried to think back. Their families had gone out for picnics around here back when they were kids, and she could remember running around with Max every time. Sometimes it was just running, sometimes they'd be playing make-believe, too. Space explorers, cowgirls, but mostly pirates.

"Wait, is this where we buried our 'treasure?'" Chloe asked, breaking into a smile as she took a harder look at the space, "Shit, I was like nine or something!" Max grinned up at her, nodding as she started to dig. Kneeling, Chloe joined Max on the ground.

"How did you remember to come here?" she pressed, feeling giddy. Now that she'd been looking around for a bit and put the pieces together, Chloe could conjure up the memory in her mind, but she was stunned that Max could have found the place all by herself. Like, had she just wandered through the entire park hoping something would click? She'd brought that "treasure map" the two of them had drawn way back when, but it was pretty vague and abstract.

"Back at home, I looked through Mom and Dad's photo albums to find a picture from the day we buried it," Max said, dumping a bit of dirt onto a growing pile to one side, "I brought it along when we left for Arcadia Bay, just so I could do something like this."

"Your parents took a picture of this place?" Chloe asked, raising an eyebrow. Max shook her head, thrusting the trowel back into the dirt.

"Well, not this spot in specific detail," she explained, "But of us running around, yeah. I went back through the photo, and then I was back here, as an eight year old, burying the treasure. When I was, um, me again, I figured out where we'd been and just tried to remember the place." Well damn. Max was sweet and thoughtful most of the time, but this went above and beyond, Chloe thought.

"So, ten years ago, when we were burying this stuff, you were you?" Chloe tried to summarize, "Like, eighteen-year-old you, I mean?" Time travel was confusing.

"I guess so," Max replied, continuing to dig, "I remember burying this stuff as a kid, but also when I went back and was in my younger self burying it." She paused and scrunched up her nose, pondering. "But I sort of 'overwrote' the first one, if that makes sense. So what you remember, when we were burying this stuff, yeah. That was modern me in my two thousand three self." A thought struck Chloe.

"So, that means that, when we were kids playing together and stuff, any of those memories could actually be of modern you in a younger body?" Chloe asked, amazed and slightly befuddled, "Like, do you think you were watching over me all through childhood or something?" Max raised her eyebrows as she sank the trowel into the dirt again, then removed the scoop of earth and shook her head.

"Not exactly," she said, "Right now, the only times I've gone back to when the two of us were kids have been this, and the day, um…" She trailed off.

"Yeah, I know what you're talking about," Chloe cut in as Max fidgeted a little, "Go on." Max set the trowel aside and started to dig with her hands.

"So, those are the only times I've gone back so far, like I said," Max explained as Chloe joined her digging, "But if I do go back to our childhoods again later, you'll _just_ remember that version of things. So I guess the older we get the more likely your childhood was full of future-me, if that makes any sense." It didn't really, although Chloe could _sort of_ piece together what Max was trying to say. The conversation sort of fell to the wayside when Chloe's fingers curled around some hard plastic in the dirt, though.

"I found some treasure!" Chloe exclaimed, grinning and pulling the cheap old Mardi Gras necklace out of the hole in the ground.

"Same," Max agreed, producing a handful of costume jewelry and rubber gemstones. Hastily, the two of them continued to paw through the hole, dropping what they found onto a small but growing pile of plastic knickknacks. After a couple minutes their digging only turned up more dirt, and they both stopped and took a look at what they'd found.

"So, this is our stash of pirate treasure," Chloe remarked, still smiling as she sifted through the little pile, "It seemed so much bigger at the time. I guess that's nostalgia for you." Max chuckled and shrugged, grabbing a plastic doubloon and turning it over in her hands.

"Well, that and just that we were smaller," she noted, "Like, I was just back then earlier this week, and it seemed like there was more loot. But I think that's mostly just because our hands were tiny."

"That makes sense," Chloe conceded, "Not like I'm really complaining. Even back then, I knew this was all just plastic and pretend."

"Yeah," Max agreed, reaching out and taking Chloe's dirt covered hand in her own, "But I guess the _real_ treasure is love or something, though, right?" Chloe snorted and turned to face Max, who had a big, goofy grin on her face.

"Oh my god, you are such a dork!" Chloe groaned, nevertheless laughing as she leaned over for a happy, fond kiss, "But you're a sweet dork. I love it!" Max beamed and squeezed Chloe's hand.

"It was a setup years in the making," she murmured, "I'm glad it paid off."

"Oh, it _totally_ paid off," Chloe agreed, leaning in for another kiss and lingering this time.

 **A/N (7-22-2016): Hey! So, for folks who didn't know, the first episode of "Life Is Strange" is now just free-to-play (The other four episodes still need to be bought, though). I know I don't have to pitch this game to any of you all, but I thought I'd mention it so you can take the opportunity to push it on your friends and family!**


	79. Comfy

Chloe looked like a dork, wearing that necklace of plastic beads. That, and she had a huge grin plastered on her face. Ever since she and Max had dug up their "treasure" from out in the park, the taller girl had been proudly displaying her spoils, and frankly, it was adorable. Like, Max had been more or less expecting Chloe would appreciate digging up their old buried treasure, but she seemed to be really getting into it.

Once their excavation was finished, the two of them had washed up in a gas station bathroom, then headed back to Blackwell. The whole "Hey, I found that stuff we buried like a decade ago that's a symbol of our bond or whatever, let's dig it up together" thing had sort of been the centerpiece of Max's plans for the day, but she still wanted to spend the rest of the afternoon with Chloe. Probably they'd just cuddle or something, but that was pretty nice all on its own.

Max snuggled up close to Chloe as they walked from the parking lot towards the dorms. It was pretty nippy, but she'd have been doing it even if it had been warm out. Being close to Chloe was always something Max enjoyed, but today in particular she felt the need to be affectionate. It was still their special Valentine's Day weekend, for one thing, but it was also sort of because of the stuff that morning, about October and Nathan and Jefferson and stuff. Dredging up all the upsetting, heavy stuff made her want to hold Chloe all the tighter.

Even though it was Saturday, the campus was sort of quiet. The chilly, drizzly weather was probably partly responsible for that, Max figured. Maybe other couples were out in town doing romantic stuff, too, or maybe most of them had stayed in and were just making out in the dorms. Everyone else had probably split off to do their own things, and Max wouldn't be surprised if her single classmates were just out having fun away from campus.

Whatever. Max didn't really care too much _why_ the campus was calm and quiet, she was just glad she got to enjoy it with Chloe. Even once they were inside the dorm, the place felt quiet. Dana passed the two of them as they walked down the hallway, but she didn't stop to talk or anything, just giving a smile and a nod instead. That was a bit of a relief, if Max was being honest.

Once they were safely back in the confines of her dorm room, Max finally released Chloe and shrugged out of her jacket, hanging it up. Behind her, she heard Chloe's coat just fall to the floor, and then felt the taller girl's arms around her waist, pulling her close. Not putting up any resistance, Max smiled and let herself settle back against Chloe.

"Today's been really special," Chloe murmured, breath hot against Max's ear, "Well, today and last night. You get what I'm saying." Max nodded lazily and ran her hands along Chloe's arms.

"Yeah," she replied, "I'm glad you've enjoyed it." Chloe pressed a kiss against the side of her face.

"It's been like some of the best-"Chloe checked her watch. "-Nineteen hours of my life." Max nuzzled into the crook of Chloe's neck, savoring the moment.

"That's all I really had planned, though," she admitted after another few seconds, "Sorry."

"Doesn't matter," Chloe scoffed, giving Max a gentle squeeze, "It's still been the best Valentine's ever."

"You're so sweet," Max mumbled, turning around while taking care to stay in Chloe's embrace, "But, you know, if there's anything _you_ wanna do, I'm open to suggestions. The weekend's not even half over." Giving a smile, Chloe released her and took a step back kicking off her boots before walking around Max to climb onto the bed.

"I'm just feeling cuddly and crap right now," Chloe noted, taking off her bead necklaces and setting them on the nightstand, "Come on and let's do an afternoon nap or something." Max shrugged and smiled, stepping out of her own shoes and settling down on her bed next to Chloe.

"I didn't really think naps would be your speed," Max remarked as she shifted around a bit and scooted closer to Chloe. Not that she minded, of course. She figured Chloe probably wasn't actually planning on just getting a second wind or anything, but climbing into bed with Chloe usually sounded like a good idea to Max.

"Eh, it's sort of cold and rainy out, and keeping warm takes energy," Chloe replied, idly running her fingers through Max's hair, "And we _were_ up sorta late." Max smiled at the memory and closed her eyes, just enjoying Chloe's touch.

"Good point," Max conceded, the smile remaining on her lips as she relaxed. A second later, she felt Chloe's lips against her forehead. Then again, slightly lower on her face. Chloe just went on like that, planting kisses all over Max's face.

"Your freckles are really cute," Chloe remarked softly as she kissed Max's cheeks and the bridge of her nose, "All of you is cute, really. You're just generally pretty great."

"You're such a sweet-talker," Max replied, letting her eyes stay shut as she enjoyed Chloe's attention, "This is really nice."

"I'm just feeling real romantic and cutesy," Chloe explained as Max felt the taller girl stroke her hair, "I don't have anything good like all the stuff you did, but I figure I can at least give you _all_ the kisses."

"I do like all the kisses," Max agreed, smiling as Chloe continued to plant kisses all over her face, "Keep this up as long as you want."

"I mean, you'll need to go to class at some point," Chloe pointed out, starting to move down Max's neck.

"Yeah, on _Monday_ ," Max replied, snickering a little, "Are you planning a whole day and a half of kisses?"

"Eh, maybe," Chloe teased, "How long does it take to kiss every square inch of a human body?"

"I dunno," Max stated, shrugging, "Probably depends on the size. I'm pretty small. Verging on pocket-sized." Chloe snorted.

"Yeah, but I wanna take my time, you know?" she remarked, finding the spot she'd marked the night before and softly pressing her lips to it, "No sense rushing. 'Haste makes waste' or whatever, right?"

"I'm starting to think that your nap idea was just a pretext," Max noted, her voice playful but relaxed, "You just wanted to get me in bed!"

"Hey, I said 'or something,'" Chloe pointed out, her voice as light as Max's, "But if you feel like you're drifting off, I'll just settle in next to you and catch some Zs."

"This _is_ pretty relaxing," Max admitted, "Like, I'm super comfy right now." Chloe snickered and rested her head on Max's chest, snuggling up close.

"You sure are," she agreed, "Maybe a nap's not a bad idea after all." Max smiled and lazily put an arm around Chloe. Whatever else was going on in her life, whatever else was coming up in the next few months, Max decided that this moment was perfect.


	80. Late Night

Valentine's weekend ended eventually, and so it was back to real life. Real life wasn't as good as the sort of heaven time that Chloe spent with Max, she decided. Or, well, time with Max _was_ real life, if she thought about it. All the time with Rachel had sort of trained Chloe to think of snuggly, make-out-y time as sort of an escape, but also as distinct from the rest of her life. That time was _only_ for her bedroom, _only_ for her truck, _only_ for the junkyard. In public, it was hands off. Even normal friend affection wasn't allowed, not with Rachel.

It was different with Max, though. Like, Max had some modesty. She wasn't usually into full-on making out in public or anything. But Max held her hand. Max kissed her and hugged her when they were on walks. If anyone asked, Max would freely admit the two of them were dating. There really wasn't a need to compartmentalize Max in her life.

She sort of liked to, though. Even with things being _sort of_ better, Chloe's life still wasn't exactly great. Sure, she wasn't getting threatening texts from a drug dealer or homicidal rich kids waving guns at her, and she and David had sort of come to an understanding, but that still left her living at home with no job, no diploma, and no actual skills to speak of. With all that weighing her down, it was kind of a relief to think of the time she spent with Max as a whole other world.

But Max, at least, still had classes to take and tests to pass, so Chloe spent a lot of time on her own. After what Ms. Grant had said at the dance, Chloe had caved and gotten in contact, and so like a week after Valentine's day she'd started poring over a used GED prep book for like an hour or two a day. It wasn't especially hard, she was finding, which was a relief.

Then again, it wasn't like Chloe had dropped out of school because she couldn't handle the material or something. Between being Max-less, being Dad-less, and then butting heads with David all the time, she'd had plenty of angst and attitude to work with. It didn't help that David was security at Blackwell, since that made her feel like fucking with the school was pulling one over on _him_. Plus, everything else had felt pretty pointless. She had never had a death wish, exactly, but she sure as hell hadn't felt like she'd had much to live for. When choosing between actually applying herself in school or just saying "screw it" and lighting up a joint, that had sort of pushed her towards the latter.

Now practically all she could think of was the future. The future of the weekend, when she could hold Max all night. The future of the summer, when Max would graduate and they could try and find a place together or something. The future of years from now, when they'd be married and have a house, and a car that wasn't shitty, and money, and kids apparently, and all that other grownup stuff she'd used to scoff at. Chloe had never really been good at delaying gratification, but there wasn't much of a choice, really.

Heaving a sigh, Chloe closed her prep book and leaned back in her chair. Glancing at her phone, she decided she'd spent enough time that day studying. When she'd compared her answers on the sample quiz to the answer key in the back, she'd found she'd gotten almost every question right, so she figured it was best to end on a high note. It wasn't exactly a Nobel, she'd admit, but still pretty satisfying.

If she wasn't going to study more, though, Chloe wasn't entirely sure what she _was_ going to do. Groaning with exasperation, she got up from her desk only to take a couple steps and flop down on her bed. If she napped, she'd just wind up staying awake way too late that night, but it was still pretty appealing. Just close her eyes and drift off, maybe dream of Max or something…

The next thing Chloe knew, Mom was knocking at her door, telling her it was time for dinner. Looked like she'd be up into the wee hours. Whatever. It wasn't like she needed to be up early the next day or anything. Rolling off of her bed, Chloe sniffed her shirt just to make sure she smelled inoffensive enough to avoid Mom's passive aggression and slouched over to the door.

Dinner went pretty uneventfully. Mostly Mom and David talking about their days, and Mom making a token effort to ask Chloe about hers. There wasn't much to report, of course, so that didn't provide much material. Besides, Chloe wasn't quite ready to tell Mom and David she was studying for a GED, so that was one less thing to talk about. There wasn't really any good reason to keep it a secret, but Chloe still wanted to play things close to the chest. For one thing, Chloe didn't want to make Mom think that her nagging about finishing school had finally paid off, but it was more than that. If she was being totally honest with herself, Chloe didn't want to get Mom's hopes up. Like, she wasn't planning on burning out on this GED thing, but all the same she'd just as soon not make Mom think she was about to do a complete 180 or anything, either. This was just a little step towards being less of a scrub, and that was it.

After dinner, Chloe just sort of retreated back to her room. For a while she just watched YouTube videos, then tried to pick out a movie on Max's Netflix. That killed some time, but she still felt sort of fidgety, like she couldn't just settle down for the night. Ever since getting home from Seattle, some nights had been harder than others, but this one was definitely shaping up to be a struggle. It was getting late, though, so Max's bedtime text would come soon. Right?

Sure enough, Chloe's phone lit up and buzzed, and she immediately snatched it up. Max hadn't told her she had to or anything, but Chloe had been making an effort to _not_ text Max on days they weren't hanging out, except for at bedtime. For one thing, she was trying to avoid getting too codependent. Trying and failing, it seemed like, but still. That, and she also really didn't want to distract Max from school, or even just from her friends. It sucked, but at least it made those texts in the evening feel that much more special.

"Hey," Max had written, "Been a rough day. R u in bed already?" Chloe raised an eyebrow and hastily typed out a reply.

"Nah, still up," she wrote, "Sry bout ur bad day :( Need 2 talk?" Was it just a garden variety crappy day, Chloe wondered, or was something bigger up?

"Yeah," came Max's reply. Then, a second later, "Actually, can u come here? I wanna c u." Well, crap. That sounded serious. Getting to her feet, Chloe padded to her door and opened it just enough to poke her head out into the hallway. All the lights were off, it looked like, and she could hear snoring from across the way. The coast was clear.

"Be there in like 20," Chloe wrote, hitting send before creeping down the stairs, coat over her shoulder and boots in hand. Once she'd shut the front door behind herself as quietly as she could, Chloe pulled her boots on and climbed up into her truck.

With the roads clear, Chloe sped a little on her way to Blackwell. She knew where the speed traps usually were, when there were any, and she'd long since figured out how to avoid them when she needed. For all she shat on the place, Chloe sort of knew Arcadia Bay like the back of her hand. Within a quarter of an hour, she was pulling up to Blackwell, clicking her lights off just to avoid unwanted attention. It wasn't illegal to be on the road at night or anything, but she was gonna be trespassing as soon as she turned into the parking lot.

Luckily, Chloe knew Blackwell security almost as well as she knew the Arcadia Bay Sheriff's Department. Rolling into the lot, she picked out a corner spot that was flanked by trees, so the truck would be partially hidden. From there, she loped along the grass rather than the concrete, trying her best to muffle the sound of her feet. The gate to the dorm courtyard was open like usual, and so she could just walk right in. Frankly, Chloe wondered if the damn thing was ever closed.

Looking up, Chloe could see the light on in Max's room. After sending a quick little "I'm here!" text, she kept an eye on the window, waiting for Max. After a few seconds, she saw the brunette's face at the window, and she stepped out into the light and waved. Giving a quick nod, Max disappeared from the window, and the light went out a second later. Within thirty seconds or so, though, she was stepping out into the courtyard and making a beeline for Chloe.

"Thanks for coming," Max murmured as she pressed herself against Chloe in a tight hug, "It's been a- Well, I just really wanted to see you." Putting her arms around the smaller girl, Chloe gave a gentle squeeze and just took a moment to hold Max close.

"Of course," Chloe replied, stroking Max's hair, "So, what's up?" Max just buried her face in Chloe's shoulder for another few seconds before finally releasing her and taking a step back.

"I'll tell you in a sec," she promised, "But, can we just get out of here for a bit? Like, go to the beach or the Two Whales or something?"

"Sure," Chloe said, glancing around just as a precaution, "Come on." Moving quickly and trying to keep low, Chloe led Max out to the parking lot. She really wished she knew what was going on, but she figured Max would tell her in a bit, right? For her part, Max was in sweatpants and one of her ratty old T-shirts. Her winter pajamas, basically, with a jacket thrown on over. Maybe calling her over had been a split-second decision, Chloe speculated. Regardless, she was glad Max had. If nothing else, it meant Chloe got to see her, but it seemed like something big was up, too.

"They called me in to the office to give testimony for Jefferson's case," Max explained after a few minutes of silence in the car, once they were a little ways from the school, "It was pretty jarring." So _that_ was it, Chloe thought. She wasn't really surprised that had Max all shook up. It definitely would have upset her.

"Shit, sorry," Chloe mumbled, "Did it- did it go okay?" She glanced over to check on Max, who gave quick nod.

"Yeah, it went mostly fine," the brunette replied, "It was pretty straightforward. Can you take us over to the beach?" Chloe started to head in that direction.

"Sure," she agreed, "Just gotta cool your head or whatever?"

"Something like that," Max said, "Mostly I feel fine at Blackwell, but with this… I just need to be someplace _not_ on campus for a bit."

"Makes sense," Chloe remarked, pushing the pedal a little closer to the floor, "We'll get there in a couple minutes. Just chill 'til then. Roll down the window if you need." Max made an appreciative sound and leaned over for a second to nudge Chloe's shoulder with her head before settling back into her seat. As promised, Chloe parked the truck by the beach at Lighthouse Overlook Park within like five minutes.

"Thanks again for coming to get me," Max mumbled, "And then for driving me out here. I get if you had wanted to be asleep by now or whatever." Chloe shook her head.

"It's fine," she assured, holding up her hands and shrugging as if to make the point, "I was looking at a late night, but you always take priority, anyway." She unbuckled her seatbelt and turned some to get a better angle for actually talking. Max smiled and reached out to gently take Chloe's hand.

"Well, it means a lot," Max sighed, meeting Chloe's gaze, "Like I said, I just needed to be someplace else."

"You said it went well, though, right?" Chloe noted, "I mean, you don't have to go into any more detail, if you don't want. But I'm here if you do."

"I think they're going through all of Jefferson's students one at a time," Max explained, "Like, to look for signs of inappropriate conduct or whatever. They probably have enough just with that bunker-" she shivered a little. "-but I guess they want to be thorough. Better than sweeping it under the rug, I guess."

"But so they called me in," Max went on, "And I think maybe I was the last. Or close to the last, anyway. They asked me about my experience with him, if I ever worked with him one on one, if he showed special interest in me or anyone else, stuff like that. Then they asked me about us finding the bunker, and about what all was down there and stuff. That's why I think I'm one of the last people they're talking to. You might be next, actually…" Her voice wavered, and she took a few deep breaths.

"I told them the stuff you and me had agreed on," Max said, composing herself a bit, "Finding all that, it was upsetting enough as it is. But- but I didn't live that, though. That's the thing. In- In the timeline I actually remember, he killed you, he kidnapped me and Victoria and- and-"

"You don't have to say it," Chloe cut in, squeezing Max's hand, "Like, if you don't want. Just talk about what you want." Max nodded and took a few more deep breaths.

"This has just dredged all that up again," Max stated after a moment, "And so I was walking around Blackwell after, knowing that it was where Jefferson and Nathan had been picking out their victims and grooming and stuff, and then I was in my room, but all I kept thinking about was how Jefferson or Nathan or both of them broke in, and just the whole place was really unsettling for me, that's all."

"That sounds plenty upsetting," Chloe agreed, "I get it. Or I sort of do, I guess. Like, I didn't have to live through all the stuff you did, just the timeline that we ended up with. But like you said, even then things got pretty bad." She thought back to the clawing at the dirt in the junkyard, at once terrified to continue and unable to stop herself. Then, as best as she could, she tried to _stop_ thinking about that.

"So that's why I asked if you could come get me," Max explained, "I wanted to see you, because you're basically what 'safety' means for me, and then once you were on your way I pretty much knew I had to get out of there. And now, and now I don't want to go back tonight. Would it be okay if-"

"You're coming home with me," Chloe declared, cutting Max off, "No way I'm making you go back to your room. Not after what you just talked about." Max looked relieved, and just sort of slumped in her seat, a slight smile on her face.

"Thanks," she murmured, "I kind of just need to have you next to me tonight."

"Always happy to oblige," Chloe replied, trying her best to sound reassuring and confident, "Shouldn't be a problem."

"Can we stay out here for a little while longer, though?" Max asked, sitting up in her seat again, "Just you and me and the stars?"

"Sure," Chloe answered, "I should have a blanket or something hiding behind one of these seats, if you want to stargaze from the bed of the truck, or sit on the hood or whatever."

"I'd like that," Max murmured, "Thanks. For- for everything." Chloe nodded.

"I'd never abandon my Max," she replied, "Now hold on. I'll try and find that blanket."


	81. In the Light of Day

It felt nice to wake up in Chloe's bed. Granted, Max always enjoyed waking up in Chloe's bed, but it was especially welcome after yesterday. Maybe a lot of it was just in her head, but the way the sun lit the room in the mornings felt calming. It probably didn't hurt that it also meant she was nestled in Chloe's arms, either.

Chloe's arms were sort of a refuge for Max, at this point. From the first time she'd buried her face in Chloe's shoulder, up on the hill by the lighthouse during the storm, those arms had been a sign of safety for Max. Luckily she hadn't needed to be comforted all that much since then, but these last few weeks had been stirring stuff up, and so taking shelter in Chloe's embrace had been her go-to plan.

Thinking back to how she'd been feeling the night before- uneasy, restless, just generally unsettled- Max was so glad she'd asked Chloe to come get her. As soon as she'd barreled into the taller girl and pulled her into a hug, Max had started to feel a little bit better. Giving voice to her fear and discomfort had helped too, but ultimately what really got her to relax was snuggling up in the bed of the truck and looking up at the night sky with Chloe.

They'd talked quietly for a bit, but Max had dozed off at some point. She had vague memories of Chloe waking her up enough to climb back into the cab, and it couldn't have been too much longer after that that they'd gotten back to the Price house. As quietly as they could, the two of them had crept inside and up the stairs to Chloe's bedroom, then just climbed into bed. Chloe's heartbeat had lulled Max back to sleep pretty quickly, and she hadn't had any dreams. Maybe it was just luck, or fatigue, or whatever else it was that affected dreams, but she liked to think it was because she was cuddled up with her Chloe.

After taking a few more minutes to just enjoy the feeling of being warm and comfy in Chloe's arms, Max rolled over to reach for her phone. Checking the screen, she saw it was a quarter to eight. Wednesdays were a late start day in Max's schedule, so she didn't have any place to be for nearly two hours. There was time to dawdle, she supposed. For a little bit, anyway.

"Sleep okay?" Chloe asked in her sleepy early morning mumble when Max rolled back and settled in again.

"Mhm," Max replied, nodding lazily, "No bad dreams."

"I'm glad," Chloe murmured, leaning over to press a soft kiss against Max's scalp, "Some nightmares showed up after you fell asleep looking for you, but I punched 'em in the tits and they left." Max snorted.

"Well, thanks for that," Max said, smiling to herself, "But really, though. You do make me feel safe." She felt Chloe's hand run through her hair, slow and gentle.

"Eh, you're the one who looks out for me," the taller girl insisted, "But I'm glad you feel that way." Again, she kissed the top of Max's head. "What time do I need to have you back at school?"

"My first class today is at ten," Max explained, "So I guess I'd wanna be back by nine thirty, to shower and change and stuff." She was still in her pajamas, and although it wasn't unheard of for students to show up to class like that at Blackwell, Max didn't want to. That took "quirky, artsy type" a bit too far for her liking.

"Guess we've got some time, then," Chloe noted, checking her own phone then setting it back down, "Do you mind staying in bed at least until my mom leaves for work? It would, um, it would probably make things go a lot smoother, if I'm gonna be honest."

"That's definitely fine," Max sighed, a smile on her lips, "I don't mind being all cuddled up and cozy with you. Not one bit."

"So how are you feeling?" Chloe asked after a few moments, "Like, after how you were last night, and stuff. Any better?" Max thought for a second.

"Some," she explained, "It's all settled back down again for me, I guess. All the stuff that went down, and that got kicked up by getting questioned and stuff, it's still _there_. But I'm not feeling as shook up as I was last night, at least."

"Mom always says 'things are always better in the light of day," Chloe remarked, "Always sort of came off as 'stop worrying and just go to sleep,' to me, but maybe there's some truth to it." Max shrugged.

"Maybe," she agreed, "It sure doesn't hurt. I can't know how I'll feel once I'm back at Blackwell, or tonight when I'm trying to go to bed in my room, I guess. But right now, I'm okay."

"Good," Chloe murmured, "Good." They stayed in bed for a little while longer, just cuddling and exchanging the occasional gentle kiss. Max wasn't really feeling up for anything more involved than that. Not just then. Chloe didn't press for anything past snuggles and smooches, though, either that morning or the night before, which was nice.

After twenty minutes or so, Max heard a door downstairs open and close. A moment later, she heard a car pull out of the garage and out onto the road. She'd wait for Chloe's go-ahead, she figured, but it sure seemed like the two of them were alone in the house now. Even though she hadn't been planning on being noisy, Max still appreciated the solitude. When she was alone with Chloe, just the two of them, she tended to feel the most at ease, and like her most genuine self.

"There goes Mom," Chloe confirmed, "Want some breakfast?"

"Sure, I could go for some breakfast," Max stated, "What were you thinking?"

"I mean, I'd been planning on just making you some breakfast," Chloe explained, "Like, in the kitchen here at my house. I could bring it up to you here in bed, if you want."

"No, no, I'll come down and keep you company!" Max replied, smiling and sitting up, "Thanks!" She stretched and rolled her shoulders. Sleeping over was nice, but having a homemade Chloe breakfast was a real treat. The blue haired girl had gotten pretty good at cooking, at least as far as simple stuff, but the real appeal was in eating something made with love. That probably sounded sappy or something, but whatever.

Max sat at the little kitchen counter and chatted with Chloe as the blue haired girl worked on breakfast. Chloe didn't say what she was making, but Max could more or less tell from the ingredients being added and pans and bowls being used. That and the smell. Pancakes, of course, along with some bacon. Good stuff, too, actually cooked in a pan on the stove and not just microwaved. There were also going to be some scrambled eggs, it looked like, which was fine with Max. It all sounded good to her, really.

"Alright, it's finished!" Chloe declared after a while, bringing two plates stacked with food to the little dining room table. Just as Max had surmised, there was a small pile of scrambled eggs on each, along with three strips of bacon apiece. Both plates also had two good sized pancakes each, with a little fan of strawberry slices arranged on each.

"Is this-" Max started, examining her plate and grinning, "Chloe, did you add a friggin' _garnish_?" Chloe blushed a little and shrugged, returning to the kitchen.

"I guess," she mumbled, sounding adorably sheepish, "I saw it online or in a magazine or something, I think, and it looked sort of fancy. We had some strawberries, so I figured I'd give it a try." She came back and took her seat, setting the salt, pepper, and syrup on the table. "Do you, um, like it?"

"I think it's a nice touch," Max assured, reaching out to take Chloe's hand for a moment before letting go so she could actually start eating. "It all looks good!"

"Well, I just hope it tastes as good as it looks," Chloe remarked, scooping up a forkful of eggs, "I want to help you start your day off on a high note, you know?"

"Just waking up with you already did that," Max replied, "And you cooking for me like this has made it even better. Don't worry." She started to eat her strawberry slices, then turned her attention to the eggs.

Sure enough, the food was good. Once it was apparent that everything had turned out fine, Chloe relaxed, and the two of them enjoyed some pleasant conversation as they ate. This was nice, Max thought to herself. In Seattle they'd tended to just sleep in past a convenient breakfast time, such that they usually just waited a bit and got lunch as the first meal of their day. Really, it was mostly the same once they'd gotten back to Arcadia Bay. Thinking about the future, though, Max figured they'd probably both have jobs at some point, right? So they'd both have to wake up at a normal time together. Could every morning be like this, once they were living together? That would be amazing, Max thought…

"Do you want any help doing dishes?" Max asked once they were finished. Chloe had taken both their plates and brought them into the kitchen, dropping them off in the sink.

"Nah, it's fine," Chloe replied, checking her phone, "I'll do it when I get home. Let's get you to school, young lady!" She said the last bit in an affected mom-voice, and Max giggled.

The ride back to Blackwell was uneventful. They talked as Chloe drove, just like they always did, and the whole thing felt almost normal. All the stress of yesterday was still there in Max's mind, obviously. How could it not be? But Chloe had done a good job of helping her to unwind and sort of re-center herself. She'd have to wait and see how she felt once she was back in class or back in her room, but Max felt like she was going to okay. Chloe tended to sell herself short, but Max really did think she was special.

"Okay, here we are," Chloe declared once she'd parked in the Blackwell lot.

"Yup," Max agreed, turning to look out the passenger side window, "Here we are." She turned back to Chloe, just staring into those blue eyes for a moment.

"You don't have to go, if you don't want," Chloe said quietly, "I mean, don't make it a habit to cut class or anything… But if you just need a day away or something, I get it. I can take you back to my house, or wherever you need. You know, if you want." Max smiled and leaned in towards Chloe, who came to meet her halfway.

"You're really sweet," Max murmured once they'd broken the kiss, "But I think I'll be fine."

"So long as you feel up to it," Chloe replied, "But I don't have anything going on today, so I'm just a text or a call away, if you need me." Max smiled and nodded.

"Thank you, darling," she said, taking Chloe's hand and squeezing it, "Just knowing I can call you if I need helps. But like I said, I think I'll be okay." She turned back to the window. "Besides, it's sort of like the lighthouse, I guess. I need to make this place mine again."

"That makes sense," Chloe remarked, letting go of Max's hand only to rub her shoulder, "I know you can do it!" Max opened the door and climbed down out of the truck, turning to face Chloe before she shut it again.

"Thanks again," she said quietly, looking into Chloe's eyes, "For breakfast, and for letting me stay over, and, you know, for everything, really." Chloe smiled and nodded.

"Like I said," the taller girl replied, "I'd never abandon you." She turned the key in the ignition and started the engine. "Now go and totally rock your classes!" Max grinned, nodded, and shut the door, giving Chloe a wave before turning to head for her dorm.


	82. Cozy

Max stirred a little in Chloe's arms, mumbling something in her sleep. Frowning a little, Chloe gave her a gentle squeeze and a soft kiss to the forehead. It had seemed like Max had improved a lot over the last four months or so, but that stuff earlier in the week probably messed things up some, Chloe figured. The brunette had definitely tossed and turned plenty the night that Chloe had gone to pick her up from Blackwell, for one thing, even if she said she hadn't had any nightmares. Maybe she just hadn't remembered them in the morning. Chloe hoped that was it. Still, she hadn't called for a pickup the next night, or the night after that, so things were probably settling back down again in her mind.

It was Friday night now, though, and that meant Chloe got to snuggle her Max all night. It was Max's turn to host, which Chloe figured was probably the best plan, if she was being honest. For one thing, it made the whole "sharing a bed" thing a lot simpler, as far as logistics went. Even with Mom letting up some, sleeping in together at Chloe's house still didn't seem like a good idea just yet.

But it was more than that. On Wednesday, when Chloe had dropped her off at school, Max had said she needed to make Blackwell hers again or whatever, and being able to stay there overnight seemed like a pretty key part of that. Based on her fidgeting, Chloe guessed Max hadn't enjoyed a deep, restful sleep the last two nights, so she was glad to be around now to help her feel calm and safe. That's how Max said Chloe made her feel, anyway, as weird as that still sounded to Chloe now and then. Whatever. If her being around made Max feel better, Chloe wasn't gonna question it too much. She was sure as hell happy to help Max make it through the night while stuff was still a little raw, so not having to worry about keeping up the appearance of separate bedrooms was convenient.

"I'm here," Chloe whispered, gently running her hand up and down Max's spine, "You're safe. I'm here." Again, she planted a tender kiss on the smaller girl's forehead. For a second, Max calmed down, but then stirred again, albeit with more purpose this time.

"Sorry," the brunette mumbled, half-opening her sleepy eyes and shifting around to look up at Chloe, "Was I keeping you up?"

"Sort of, but I don't really give a crap about that," Chloe replied, "You were sort of fidgeting and grumbling and stuff, so I was trying to calm you down." Max smiled a little and nuzzled back down against Chloe's shoulder.

"Okay," she murmured, "I don't remember it, really, if I was dreaming. But thanks for waking me up, if it seemed like I was."

"It's what I'm here for," Chloe remarked, giving Max another gentle squeeze before starting to stroke her hair, "To take care of you and provide you with cuddles." Max snorted a little and looked back up at Chloe.

"And you do such a good job of it," she assured, folding her arms across Chloe's chest and wresting her chin on top of them, "A night with you always leaves me thoroughly cuddled." It was Chloe's turn to smile and snort, but she quickly settled back down, still smiling as she looked into Max's eyes.

"I try," Chloe noted, "It's a cold night out there. Gotta keep you cozy." Max smiled, and they shared a moment of silence.

"Know what goes nice with a cold night?" Chloe asked quietly after a minute or so.

"What?"

"A cup or two of hot cocoa," Chloe explained, "Wanna go get some?" Max raised her eyebrows.

"Right now?" she asked, "It's like-" She picked up her phone and checked the time. "-Eleven forty five."

"Yeah, but the Two Whales is stays open twenty four hours a day," Chloe pointed out, "So they can hook us up with some hot chocolate."

"Okay," Max replied after a moment of consideration, shrugging and giving a smile, "Sure. Hot cocoa _would_ be nice." Moving lethargically, Max rolled off of Chloe and then sat up. Breathing a quiet sigh of relief, Chloe sat up too and wrapped her arms around Max again, just hugging her for a moment. The prospect of getting a late night dessert drink was appealing all on its own, but she hadn't made the suggestion just because of her sweet tooth.

It was more that she wanted something comforting for Max. The brunette had said she didn't remember dreaming, but Chloe wasn't sure if that was true or just meant to keep her from worrying. Either way, Max had definitely been getting antsy in her sleep. Even if it wasn't conscious, that stuff was probably still bubbling around in her mind just then, right? Better to get something fun and sweet to take Max's mind off it, then go back to bed later.

Getting out of the building and out to the truck was simple enough. At this point, Chloe figured she and Max were basically experts at sneaking around Blackwell. She sort of wished that security would be tighter, though. Considering all that shit last Fall, some extra guards around the place would be a good idea, right? Then again, the problem hadn't been randos, it had been a student- a major donor's kid, too- and a friggin' teacher. Whatever. The sooner Max was done at Blackwell, the more comfortable Chloe would feel.

They got to the Two Whales without any trouble, just talking and enjoying each other's company on the way. Luckily, Mom wasn't working a late shift that night. She knew that Chloe was staying over in Max's room and stuff, but Chloe figured she probably wouldn't approve of the two of them being out at midnight. Then on Sunday night, she would probably give Chloe crap about bad habits or whatever. It was just simpler for her not to be around just then.

"This was a good idea!" Max declared after she'd taken a sip from her plain white mug, "Thanks for coming up with it!" Chloe smiled and shrugged, bringing her own mug to her lips and testing the temperature.

"Hey, no point in having a twenty four hour diner if you don't go at weird times," she noted, "And I woke you up and everything, so I thought I should at least try and make it worth your while." Max shook her head and flashed a sleepy smile.

"You were just trying to help," Max insisted, "And haven't I _told_ you to wake me up if you think I'm having bad dreams, anyway?"

"That's true, you have," Chloe conceded, "I still feel a little bad about it. Hence the hot chocolate. To make it up to you and stuff."

"You don't have to," Max contended, "But thanks anyway. Snuggling up in bed with you is nice enough all on its own, but this is a nice treat." Chloe felt Max bump her foot under the table, which she took as a good sign. Playful Max usually wasn't a shaken Max.

"I mean, we can snuggle up in bed when we get back," Chloe pointed out, "We can have our cake and eat it too."

"If you're wanting to do some eating, I'm not gonna say no," Max replied, blushing a bit but grinning and giving a wink before taking another sip of cocoa. Chloe affected a shocked, scandalized look and pretended to clutch at pearls, but could only keep up act for a few seconds before breaking into a smile and chuckling.

"Not that just cuddling to sleep earlier wasn't nice," Max added after a moment, blushing a bit deeper. Chloe relaxed a bit in her seat. With all the trauma of October getting brought up again for Max, Chloe had made the decision to just sort of let her set the pace on bedroom stuff for a while. That had led to the two of them nestled under the covers, nuzzling and kissing, and then Max kind of just drifting off in Chloe's arms. Like she'd said, it had been nice, of course. Tender, sweet moments like that were pretty great. But wanting to mess around some meant Max was feeling more or less safe again, which was a big relief for Chloe. That, and it meant nookie, which Chloe also appreciated.

"It's cool. I get what you meant," Chloe assured, "I think. Did I?"

"If you thought I was trying to be flirty and suggestive, then yeah," Max replied, blushing even more deeply but smiling all the same, "Sorry. I'm sleepy. Words are hard." Chloe grinned and shrugged.

"Well, if you're sleepy, we can just postpone until the morning," Chloe noted, a slight teasing tone to her voice, "We can just keep tonight cozy and stuff." Max crinkled her nose for a moment.

"Making love _is_ cozy," she countered, "Sometimes. Like, it can fall on the cozy spectrum." Chloe snorted, amused at the idea of a "cozy spectrum."

"Duly noted," Chloe answered, "I feel like, between the hot cocoa and the flannel blankets and your sweatpant pajamas, tonight is a 'cozy' sort of night. So we'll just have the cozy kind of sex." Max blushed again and sipped her hot chocolate.

"Sounds good," Max agreed once she'd set her mug back down, "With everything that's- well, cozy is just what I feel like I need right now." Chloe nodded. Much as she might tease, she sort of understood the distinction Max was trying to make. Gentle, sweet, all about the happy feels.

"Happy to oblige," Chloe replied, winking, "Like I said earlier, I gotta keep you cozy."


	83. You're Too Good To Me

"Right again!" Max declared, smiling at Chloe as she set the card aside, "You're like ten for ten on this set!" Chloe gave a sheepish grin and shrugged a little.

"Eh, it's not like the questions are all that hard," she pointed out, shifting around a little but still looking pretty satisfied with herself, "Like, they're meant to measure a high school level of education."

"Which you don't quite have," Max countered, "Meaning you're exceeding expectations!" The two of them sat cross-legged on Chloe's bed, a few feet apart and facing one another. Max had offered to help Chloe with studying for her GED, and so she'd spent the last half hour or so quizzing the blue haired girl on a variety of subjects. Chloe had done alright on the language arts questions- well enough to pass comfortably, as far as Max could tell- but the math and science questions seemed to be where she shined.

The last week had started off sort of rough, but things had steadily gotten better. Max had asked Chloe to stay over Sunday night, too, and Chloe hadn't really needed much convincing. Just the way that Chloe always tried to look out for her was enough to help Max feel a little safer and a little calmer, but sleeping through the night nestled in the taller girl's arms sure helped, too.

The rest of the week was a struggle for Max, but she had gotten through it. It was hard to focus sometimes, but she found ways to pull herself out of her own head. For one thing, she found herself poking her head into the photography classroom in passing periods, just to remind herself that Jefferson wasn't there anymore. That had had the bonus effect of making her stand out to the new photography teacher, so there was that. Standing out had been a problem with Jefferson, she supposed, but this new lady seemed alright. Definitely less like a serial killer, anyway, Max told herself.

Other than that, she'd texted Chloe a lot more than usual. Being in ongoing contact like that, knowing that Chloe was safe and also keeping an eye out for her, relaxed her some, and helped to keep her grounded. It reminded her things were normal. Or, as normal as her life could really get, at any rate. She'd also found herself talking with Kate on a few afternoons. The tea was soothing, but talking to the little blonde also kind of helped her just work through things. She couldn't get too in-depth with her experience- After all, so far as anyone else knew, it hadn't "happened"- and she definitely didn't want to press Kate for details of her own ordeal, but just sort of talking with someone about her emotions surrounding the whole thing helped. She could always talk to Chloe, too, and she did, but Kate was a Blackwell student, too, and she'd been one of Jefferson's, and so Max felt like Kate's experience was closer to hers than Chloe's.

All of that combined had sort of worked together to help Max get through the week. That and process the ordeal for good, she hoped. She could never _forget_ what all had happened, of course. It was a part of her now, the same way that choosing Chloe over Arcadia Bay was part of her, or saving Kate, or any of the million less dramatic moments in time that comprised her life. But she felt like she had a better handle on the whole thing now, and that was promising.

"I feel like at nineteen, trying to reach 'high school graduate' status is all catch-up," Chloe grumbled, nevertheless maintaining her proud smirk, "But I guess I'm glad you're happy with how I'm doing." Max sighed and smiled, leaning forward and reaching out to squeeze Chloe's shoulder.

"So you got a little off-track for a while," she remarked, "You're not the first person to do that! But you're at least working to get back _on_ track, and that's what matters!" Max always liked to be optimistic when it came to Chloe's prospects. She'd had enough negativity in her life, so it just seemed like a good idea to Max to be encouraging whenever she could.

"You're too good to me," Chloe protested, reaching up to Max's hand and bringing it to her lips, "But thanks." Max gave a happy little sigh as she felt Chloe kissing her hand, enjoying the moment. Glancing up to make eye contact, Chloe began to kiss a little further up Max's hand, gradually migrating to her wrist and then up her forearm, fixing Max with her gaze the whole time.

After a minute or so, Chloe had kissed her way all the way up Max's arm. Pulling the wide neck of Max's shirt to the side and over her shoulder, Chloe continued along Max's collarbone. Now that Chloe had come closer, Max reached up and ran her free hand through the taller girl's blue hair. It was starting to get long, she'd been noticing, and she wondered if Chloe would let it grow or cut it back down. Either way, Max felt confident she'd love it.

Her speculation was cut short by Chloe's lips starting up her neck. Drawing in a quick breath and biting her lip, she enjoyed the familiar but still exciting sensation. She felt her cheeks start to heat up, accompanied by a happy little shiver down her spine as her darling gave her kisses. There were still a few more flashcards left, Max could vaguely recall. A bit more studying she could help Chloe with.

But screw it. They'd done enough studying for one night. Max wrapped her arms around Chloe and held her tight, sighing and cooing in response to the kisses Chloe was planting up her neck and along her jaw. Pressing one final kiss to the tip of Max's chin, Chloe paused and brought herself face to face with Max, blue eyes staring into blue eyes.

"You're too good to me," Chloe repeated, her voice little more than a whisper this time, "I love you so much."

"And I love you, darling," Max murmured, finding her voice after a second of getting lost in Chloe's eyes, "I'll always be good to you. As good as I can be, anyway." Chloe smiled, her eyes soft and twinkling a little, and leaned in for a lingering kiss.

Being as careful as she could under the circumstances, Max let herself fall back onto Chloe's bed and pulled the taller girl along with her. Giggling a little, Chloe continued to kiss her, lightly running her hands along Max's sides and over her stomach, beneath her shirt. They definitely weren't going to be doing any more studying that evening, Max concluded, smiling against Chloe's lips as she went back to running her hands through that blue hair she loved.

"Dropout or not, this is one of the most high school things I've ever done," Chloe remarked breathlessly, grinning down at Max in a momentary lull.

"How do you mean?" Max asked, amused at the playful tone in Chloe's voice and curious about where she was going with this.

"Oh, it's just that old sitcom trope, y'know?" Chloe replied, lightly running the backs of her fingers across Max's cheek, "Making out in my bedroom when we said we'd be 'studying.'" Max rolled her eyes but laughed a little.

"In our defense, we actually _did_ study for a while," Max pointed out, cupping Chloe's face in one hand, "There were flashcards and review worksheets and stuff."

"Oh, totally," Chloe agreed, leaning down for another kiss, albeit a quicker one this time, "I feel like we've never really needed much pretense to make out." Max giggled again.

"Well, there was that one time you 'dared' me to kiss you," she noted, earning a scoff from Chloe.

"Eh, I guess," Chloe conceded, "But I'm gonna challenge that, on the grounds that we didn't actually 'make out,' really. Despite what I'd kinda hoped." Max snorted.

"I think making out would have been pushing it," Max said, her voice teasing as she smiled up at Chloe, "I wasn't ready for that, yet. Not then. I took a selfie that morning, though, didn't I? I could go back and be all assertive and stuff." She was just playing, of course, and she knew Chloe knew that. Still, it was fun to play "what if?" when she _knew_ she'd never actually mess around with time like that.

"Nah," Chloe murmured, dropping her playful tone and getting sort of a distant, wistful look, "I like our first kiss as it is. Was. Whatever."

"As sleepover shenanigans?" Max asked, probing for what was going on in Chloe's head. That quick little peck on the lips had been a big deal to her, but she'd never kissed _anyone_ before that. Could it have really been that significant to Chloe that she was getting misty eyed about it?

"No, I mean, like, our first _real_ kiss," Chloe explained, her voice soft as a gentle smile spread across her face, "The night after we'd found out Mom and your friends and stuff were okay. At the motel, the same night we first…" Ah. That made more sense to Max. She guessed if she were counting it from the first time they'd kissed in earnest, not just the first time their lips technically touched, the first time they made love really was also the first time they'd kissed. That definitely was more romantic than kissing on a dare, she'd admit.

"I like that one, too," Max agreed, tilting Chloe's face slightly so she could look into her eyes again, "That whole night was really special for me.

"Same here," Chloe murmured, bending down a bit so her nose brushed against Max's, "Compared to 'passionate sex with someone I've been in love with since, like, forever,' I guess study-sesh nookie isn't really so big a deal."

"Still," Max whispered, leaning up ever so slightly until she felt her lips brush Chloe's, "I wouldn't want you to miss out on such a core high school experience like this…" Chloe snorted a little.

"You're too good to me," she breathed once more before sinking happily into the kiss.


	84. Still Seething

Well, shit. Chloe had been pretty sure from the start that she'd probably be called in eventually for testimony. Especially after Max had had to give her deposition or whatever it was, Chloe knew that she couldn't be far behind. But still. Holy crap.

Luckily, it hadn't been a particularly long interview. Still too long for Chloe's comfort, but not as long as Max had described hers being. It was probably because she hadn't been one of Jefferson's students, Chloe figured. They asked her about her and Max's sleuthing, and finding the Dark Room bunker. Mostly, Chloe had just tried to give the answers she and Max had agreed on.

They hadn't asked her about her run-ins with Nathan, and she really wasn't sure how to feel about that. On the one hand, it was a relief to not have to explain how she'd gotten drugged and woken up in Nathan's room after who knows how long. Just thinking about it put her in a bad mood, and she didn't want to think about how she'd be feeling if she'd had to unpack it all. But that probably meant the investigation wasn't really interested in Nathan, which bothered Chloe. To be fair, he _was_ dead, so they couldn't exactly put him on trial, but she hated the thought that he was getting away with it, even in death. The Prescotts were probably leaning on the police department pretty heavily, she figured. Or maybe they just straightup didn't care. They'd have to dig up _some_ dirt on him for the trial though, right?

Chloe _did_ have to talk about finding Rachel, though, and that was bad enough. She'd been able to mostly keep it together in the interview but she must have still shown signs of being shaken, because the cops said she could take a moment, if she needed. They'd probably thought she was just upset from finding a dead body, and that probably would have been enough to make the whole thing unpleasant, she'd admit. But the fact that it had been _Rachel_ had been what made it so damn bad.

Chloe had sort of always feared in her gut that it had been coming to that. She hadn't let herself admit that Rachel might have died until then, but the dread had been building every day in the back of her mind. Finding Rachel out there, buried in their junkyard of all places, had been like a nightmare. Max had tried to comfort her, but that had just made her more upset. She'd felt herself falling for Max again, and feeling love for Max while learning that Rachel was dead had just made her feel guilty.

That was all in the past, now. It still hurt like all hell to relive it, though. Like, Chloe was definitely happy with Max, and she'd processed her way through the guilt and stuff, but she still figured she'd probably never be all the way over losing Rachel like that.

After she was questioned, Chloe had just sort of driven aimlessly for a bit, stewing. At one point she came pretty close to the junkyard and thought about going back to her and Rachel's hideout, but ultimately just kept on driving. That place was pretty much ruined for her, at this point. If she tried, maybe she could sort of "take it back," like Max said she'd done with the lighthouse, but she didn't really see a point. That had been her and Rachel's spot, and without Rachel there wasn't really a reason to go back. Well, there was getting out of the house and shit, but she could do that any old place.

In the end, she wound up just loitering at the Two Whales, nursing a cup of coffee and anxiously checking her phone every few seconds, as if that would make time move faster. Once three thirty rolled around she'd be able to text Max, but Chloe didn't want to bother her during class. If she knew what had happened, Max would probably duck out of class to call Chloe up, and Chloe didn't want that. For one thing, she didn't want to make Max miss classes or anything, but she also just wanted to decompress a bit. She wasn't going to unwind fully anytime soon, she knew, but she still wanted to seethe a bit of her stress off so she didn't unload it all on Max.

"Need a refill yet?" Mom asked, stepping up to the booth where Chloe sat, hunched over the table. With all that was going on in her head, Chloe felt a little weird having Mom hanging around. At the same time, it was sort of comforting. Normally maybe she'd kick herself for feeling safer with her damn mother around, but this felt like a special case. If Mom being her waitress made her feel a bit more at ease just now, Chloe wasn't gonna worry if she wasn't being tough enough.

"Oh, um, sure," Chloe mumbled, glancing into her mug and then setting it by the edge of the table. Mom studied Chloe as she poured, narrowing her eyes for a moment before her face softened.

"Chloe, honey, are you alright?" she asked, "You seem a little on edge." Frankly, Chloe was a little surprised Mom could tell any difference. She'd spent most of the last five years scowling and seething, and Mom had seemed to have just sort of resigned herself to it. But maybe she was looking more haunted and hurt than sullen, Chloe thought. Or maybe half a year of dating Max really had mellowed her out. Holy crap, had it really been half a year already? Just about, she realized.

"Yeah, I'm fine, I guess," Chloe replied, shrugging, "Just sort of working through some stuff." Mom raised her eyebrows and glanced around the restaurant. Apparently deciding it was slow enough that she could take time to sit and talk, she slid into the booth across from Chloe and rested her elbows on the table. Looked like maybe she'd be talking about it after all.

"Honey, are things okay with you and Max?" Mom asked, "You're not having problems, are you?" Chloe shook her head.

"No, me and Max are fine," she declared, "Or, well, our relationship is fine, I mean. But other stuff has been going on these last couple weeks that has us on edge."

"Lot of that going around, I suppose," Mom remarked, leaning back in her seat, "Poor David has been having quite a time with some investigation into a Blackwell teacher. All those files and reports he keeps are important, it turns out, but from what he's told me the whole thing is just downright unsettling." She shivered a little, and Chloe sighed.

"It's that," Chloe admitted, letting the words hang in the air for a moment, "What me and Max were doing back in October, we were playing detective. Found a bit more than we could deal with, so we passed it on to David. Him and the police, they've questioned us both now. Just to get our testimonies and stuff." Mom stared at her with wide eyes for a few seconds, bringing a hand up to her throat.

"David told me some of what he found down there," she breathed, "Chloe, what on Earth were you doing near any of that?!" Chloe bit her lip and took a deep breath.

"I had been looking for Rachel," Chloe explained, trying her best to keep an even tone in her voice, "Max was helping me try and find out where she'd gone." Tears started to form in the corners of her eyes. "We- shit- we found out." At this point Chloe wasn't interested in keeping up a façade. Hank the Trucker or whoever was hunched over at the counter and in a booth or two at the far end of the restaurant didn't really care, anyway. She went ahead and cried, shoulders trembling with the mix of remembered anger, frustration, and grief she was working through.

"The body they found…" Mom whispered, trailing off. Chloe just grit her teeth and nodded.

"Oh, Chloe," Mom consoled, reaching out to take Chloe's hand, "I can't even imagine what that must have been like for you." Chloe took a moment or two to cry some more before taking a few deep breaths and wiping her eyes.

"But yeah, so the interviews or whatever just kind of stirred that up again for both of us," Chloe explained, still sniffling, "Max had a rough time like two weeks ago, and today was my turn." Mom just looked at her silently for a moment, a concerned frown on her face.

"Is there anything you need?" Mom asked after a moment, "I mean, should I book you a therapist, or anything like that? I don't- I only know that that helped me. After your father passed." She was sort of hitting the nail on the head with that one, Chloe thought. Finding a body would be jarring, but she at least liked to tell herself that she could have been over that by now. They hadn't dug Rachel up all the way or anything, they'd just found where she was and what had happened. What made it so damn upsetting, even now, was that it was _Rachel_ who they'd found. It was Rachel, and Chloe'd loved her.

"Nah, you don't have to do that," Chloe replied, trying to project a regained calm even as she could still feel her shoulders shaking. Mom sure as hell didn't have the money to be paying for a therapist, anyway. "I've just gotta take some time, y'know. Me and Max will probably hang out later, talk about it and stuff." Mom kept on frowning, but released Chloe's hand and nodded a bit.

"Well, alright," she said, sounding thoughtful, "But Chloe, you _do_ know you can always come and talk to me about anything, don't you?" Chloe sort of slumped in the booth and nodded.

"Yeah, I know. Thanks." With that, Mom slid out of the booth and continued her rounds, leaving Chloe alone again. Chloe continued to sip her coffee, not sure if she was trembling from the stress, the caffeine, or both. Checking her phone, she saw it was getting close to the time when Max would be finishing classes for the day. She hated to bother Max, but Chloe still felt like spending time with her was the easiest way for her to feel better just then.

"R u free?" Chloe texted, hoping for a quick response. Her mind kept drifting back to that friggin' awful day back in October, and that was just too much. She remembered feeling like her heart was going to explode out of her chest, and crying until she was hoarse. She wasn't feeling _that_ bad, at least. But she also remembered Max's arms around her as she sobbed and heaved, and she felt like that had made her feel that little bit better. Maybe that was just hindsight, sort of retconning it in her head that Max had made her feel better at the time, but she sure as hell felt like Max would make her feel better _now_.

"I can be," came Max's reply after a minute or so, "Sup?"

"Talked 2 the cops today," Chloe typed, "Still shaking." Max's reply was almost instaneous.

"Come here." That was all the prodding Chloe needed. Slapping a few bills on the table for the coffee, she rushed out of the diner and to her truck. She took deep breaths as she drove, trying to keep herself steady on the way to Blackwell. The last thing she needed was to get pulled over or crash or something. In not too long a time, though, she pulled into the parking lot, finding Max already waiting there for her.

"Hey," Chloe greeted as she climbed down out of her truck, trying her best not to just break down and collapse into Max's arms then and there, "Sorry for bothering you and stuff. I get it if you have homework or-"

"No," Max declared, stopping Chloe mid-sentence, "I don't have anything that can't wait 'til later. You're what's important right now." Chloe felt her eyes tearing up again. Before tears could actually fall, though, Max stepped closer and put her arms around Chloe, holding her tight. Chloe responded in kind, trembling a little as she held Max close.

"Wanna just snuggle and watch a movie or something?" Max asked quietly after a moment, stepping back slightly to look up at Chloe, "Or something else, if you want. I'm up for whatever." Chloe squeezed Max tight for a second before releasing her.

"Would it be too weird to go up to your room and make out a bunch?" Chloe asked, feeling a little self-conscious. Normally she wouldn't be, but Chloe wasn't really sure if that was what she was "supposed" to want right then. It was hard to put into words, but she wanted to sort of reaffirm being alive, she supposed. Being alive and being generally in a good place, relationship-wise. She was stressed and upset, and she had to work that out somehow. Diving into affection seemed like a better choice than flying into a rage, like she had in the past.

"Well, not when you explain it," Max replied, nodding, "Er, I mean, not really, considering how you described it. Or will describe it. _Would_ describe it." Chloe cocked an eyebrow and looked at Max quizzically. The brunette fidgeted and shrugged.

"Like, that's not how I reacted after I had to give testimony," she explained, "And so I just sort of blurted that it was kind of weird, and you kind of bristled, and then I said sorry and you explained all the 'life affirming' stuff, and I felt awkward and I rewound and…" She trailed off, blushing. "And now I guess I've made it weird again. Hold on." She started to raise her hand, but Chloe shook her head and reached out to stop her.

"It's fine, Max," Chloe assured, smiling a little despite how tense she still felt, "But, um, is that okay?" Max sighed with what Chloe guessed was relief and nodded, standing on her tiptoes to bring her face up to Chloe's.

"Yes, darling," Max murmured, "Yes, that's okay."


	85. Arcade

**A/N The last chapter got heavy, so here's some fluff and banter**

Max finished wrapping the present then slipped it into her bag. Chloe's birthday wasn't actually until Tuesday, but she wasn't sure if they'd see each other that day. Wednesday _was_ her late-start day, so a sleepover wasn't out of the question, but she _knew_ she'd be spending the weekend at Chloe's, so that seemed like the safer bet. Chloe hadn't really been talking about it, anyway, so Max wasn't sure if she even remembered her own birthday was coming up. With how chaotic Chloe's life had been over the last few years, Max wouldn't be surprised if she didn't bother keeping track of the date.

It wasn't like it was much of a problem to celebrate a little early anyway, right? There was a tiny little voice in the back of Max's head that worried that might somehow "jinx it," but she tried her best to just remind herself things were fine. She still tried to look out for Chloe as best as she could, but neither of them were really in any danger anymore. Not like they had been back in October, anyway. She hadn't needed to rewind to save Chloe's life since they'd left Arcadia Bay after the storm, so Max had managed to mostly shake the idea that Chloe was somehow marked or something. She'd always been a worrier, though.

Checking the time, Max pulled on her jacket, grabbed her bag, and headed out the door. The hallway had the usual Friday afternoon buzz, with people chattering with each other in their rooms or preparing for whatever weekend plans they'd arranged. For the first couple weeks Max had gotten a few invitations to do stuff over the weekends, but her dormmates had soon learned that she had a standing engagement. Still, her friends had more or less accepted Chloe when in the rare cases the two of them wanted to hang out in a group setting, so that was nice.

Flipping up her hood against the light rain, Max stepped out into the courtyard. Weather like this- kind of chilly, overcast, raining steadily- might not have been the most conducive to hiking or taking pictures outside or anything, but it did make cuddling up with Chloe feel all that much more cozy and warm. Especially when she was staying over at Chloe's house, the dim glow of the Christmas lights in Chloe's bedroom gave the raindrops pattering against the windows a beautiful sparkle.

Just like usual, Chloe was waiting for her in the parking lot. Given the weather, the taller girl had opted to wait _in_ the truck, her face lit by her phone as she passed the time. Max sidestepped a few puddles on her way across the parking lot, and tapped on the passenger side window once she reached the truck. Taking notice, Chloe hastily reached over to unlock the door, and Max climbed on in.

"Sorry about that," Chloe mumbled once Max was seated, "I was sort of lost in Temple Run." Max shrugged and waved a hand.

"It's no big deal," she replied, smiling and leaning over towards Chloe, "But if you wanna make it up to me, you can always pay me in kisses." Chloe grinned and leaned down to touch her lips to Max's.

"Kisses I've got plenty of," Chloe remarked once she'd sat back up, turning the key in the ignition as Max buckled herself in, "So it's a relief you take those." Max chuckled a little as they pulled out of the parking lot.

"I was just gonna take us back to my house, like usual," Chloe noted a few minutes after they'd gotten onto the road, "Unless you have any other ideas of what to do for a few hours. We can do whatever." Going straight to the Price-Madsen house was what they usually did, and it had served them just fine so far. Typically, they'd get up to Chloe's room and fall into their holding pattern- heh, "holding" pattern- of snuggling and talking while they put on a movie or some music in the background. As long as Chloe was opening the floor to suggestions, though, Max figured she'd come up with some.

"I figure it's a little too cold and rainy to do much outside right now," Max remarked, thinking, "We could go back to that arcade there at the boardwalk. It's basically indoors, right?" Chloe nodded, flashing a smile over at Max.

"Inside enough for me, anyway," she replied, "Let's see if I can't wow you with my mastery of skee ball."

"Well now that you've built it up, I can hardly wait," Max teased, "But, you know, I'll still love you even if you don't turn out to be God's gift to Masonite." Chloe affected a heavy sigh.

"That's a relief," the blue haired girl said, "If I'm being honest, I'm not actually that good at skee ball." Max snorted and grinned, leaning over to rest her head against Chloe's shoulder as they made their way to the boardwalk.

There'd been some definite progress on the reconstruction effort in the month and a half since last they'd visited, Max noticed. More stalls and shops had been finished, and a good number were actually in operation. If things continued like this, she guessed that the new boardwalk would probably be even better than the old one. Like, it was never gonna be Pike Place Market or anything, but it was feeling a lot less run down than it used to be, at least.

The arcade itself had improved some, too, since the last time they'd been there. There were more cabinets, and definitely a better variety. It didn't feel quite finished yet, and it still had to be sort of "broken in," just like the new Two Whales, but it didn't feel as weirdly sparse as before.

"What do you wanna do first?" Chloe asked after they'd taken a moment to survey the arcade, "I've got-" she produced her wallet and checked the contents. "-Like twenty bucks on me we could turn into quarters." Max raised her eyebrows.

"I've, uh, still got some of that Wells money," Chloe mumbled as an explanation, glancing away. Stealing five thousand dollars had never been something Max had been at ease with, but it had seemed important at the time. As it turned out, Chloe hadn't needed the money to pay Frank back after all, since he died in the storm, but the cash turned out to be really useful in their wanderings. It had to be dwindling by this point, Max supposed, but apparently Chloe still had _some_.

"Well, that should keep us going for a bit," Max noted, following Chloe to the change machine, "Do you have any preferences?" Chloe slipped the bill into the machine, and a metallic thump followed by jingling alerted the two of them to the arrival of their- Max thought for a second- _eighty_ quarters.

"I wanna give this _Street Fighter II_ a spin," Chloe declared, looking over to the arcade cabinet as she scooped quarters into her pocket, "Like, just to say I did, if nothing else." Max smiled and shrugged.

"Sounds fine to me," Max replied, walking over to the game, "I do like vintage stuff. And this thing's definitely vintage." Chloe joined her at the cabinet, handing her two quarters before bending to feed the machine her own.

"Older than we are, I think," the taller girl marveled, running her fingers over the buttons and taking hold of the joystick, "Not sure where they got it, but I'm glad they did." Max pushed her own quarters through the slot, then joined as Player 2.

She and Chloe did a few bouts of Street Fighter before moving on to other stuff. Naturally, they danced a couple sets of DDR, too. That was a highlight of any good arcade, Max always thought. Neither of them were actually all that _good_ at DDR, unfortunately, but it was still fun.

Luckily, Chloe didn't express interest in any of the shooting games. Max had never really liked shooters in general, but after last October she really didn't want anything to do with guns. Nathan had killed Chloe with a gun. Jefferson had killed Chloe with a gun, while she was holding a gun of her own. Chloe had very nearly killed _herself_ with a gun a couple times in the junkyard. Guns, guns, guns, they'd been nothing but trouble and danger. Max was more than happy to steer clear of them.

Chloe _did_ end up playing a lot of ticket games, though, and Max found herself carrying around a growing pile of ticket chains. They migrated around the arcade as Chloe tried her hand at each, running the gamut from a sort of basketball game to what amounted to Wheel of Fortune without the hangman element. But just as promised, Chloe ended up leading her to the skee ball lanes.

"It's all in the angle," Chloe explained as she picked up the first ball and started to line up her shot, "Or maybe the force you put into the toss. Whatever." Before she could utter any more clichés, Chloe went ahead and sent the ball rolling down the lane, giving it what Max thought seemed like a good amount of oomph. Unsurprisingly, the ball didn't quite find the jackpot, but Chloe actually did get pretty close.

"Good one!" Max encouraged, "Whatever it is you did seems to work!" Chloe shrugged and scoffed, but Max could see her smile all the same.

"Eh, let's not throw me any parades just yet," she protested, her voice nevertheless betraying her pride, "Gotta see how the rest of these go." She scooped up another ball and sent it down the lane, managing to make it into a corner hole. The next made it into the same space as the first, although the fourth and fifth balls fell into outer rings. Of the last four balls, one landed in the top scoring ring, two others scored pretty well, and the last bounced off the top scoring ring and ended up falling to the outermost ring.

"So yeah, them's my skee ball skills," Chloe declared, giving a shrug and turning to Max as the machine dispensed a stream of tickets, "Did I manage to make you weak at the knees?"

"Oh yes," Max teased, rolling her eyes, "I must have you! Because, you know, I totally wasn't already all over you _before_ you showed off how you can score reasonably well at a carnival game." Chloe laughed a little and bent down to tear off the ribbon of tickets she'd won, folding them up into a neat little stack.

"Do you wanna give it a try?" she asked, pulling out another couple of quarters and motioning to the skee ball lane, "I can show you how it's done."

"I mean, I've played skee ball before," Max pointed out, slipping her bag off from her shoulder and setting it on the ground as she stepped up to the lane, "And it's not exactly complicated. But sure, I'll give it a shot." Chloe fed the machine two quarters, and the stack of balls fell into reach. Bending down to pick one up, Max found her back pressing against Chloe when she stood up.

"Remember to keep your shoulders loose," Chloe said, running her hands down Max's arms and shifting around to press herself closer against the shorter girl, "Make the ball just an extension of your arm." Max raised an eyebrow and giggled as Chloe moved their arms back and forth together.

"What does that even _mean_?" Max wondered aloud, releasing the ball on an upswing and watching it roll down the lane. It managed to find its way into the second tier, but that was all.

"Hell if I know," Chloe admitted, her voice playful, "I'm just making shit up to sound deep." Max snorted and reached down for another ball.

"And here I thought this was some kind of hidden talent," Max joked, rolling the second ball, "You'd enter in a high-stakes tournament, face off against your archrival in the end, and then win a huge pile of money." She picked up the next ball.

"Alas that I can't support us on my mad skee ball prowess," Chloe lamented, keeping the riff going as Max sent the third ball down the lane, "You'll miss your chance to be on _Skee Ball Wives_."

"That'd be, like, _Basketball Wives_ ," Chloe added, "But, like, for the wives of skee ball stars, instead of basketball stars."

"Well crap," Max grumbled, smiling at the silliness of their conversation, "There goes my chance to be a reality TV star." She rolled a fourth ball and took a moment to settle back against Chloe and just enjoy being close.

"Hey, it's not too late," Chloe assured, moving her arms from Max's only to wrap them around the shorter girl's waist, "We could get jobs as Alaskan truckers or ghost hunters or something. There's all sorts of ways to get on TV doing dumb shit."

"I'll look into how to get on _House Hunters_ ," Max suggested, leaning back and nuzzling her cheek against Chloe's neck for a moment, "I guess it'll be years before we buy a house, though. Start thinking of random things to care way too much about now, so you can be ready." Chloe laughed and gave Max a gentle squeeze before releasing her.

"Well, it's not exactly skee ball stardom, but I guess I'm willing to be famous for fussing about carpeting," Chloe conceded as Max picked out another ball and straightened up. Again, Chloe put her arms over Max's, and they lined up their shot.

"I don't know," Max remarked, letting go of the ball and sending it down the lane, "Maybe there's actually competitive skee ball in Portland or Austin or something." She bent down to grab the next ball, and smiled with amusement as Chloe followed, still smooshing against her back.

"Someone, somewhere, _must_ do a skee ball league," Chloe reasoned as the two of them stood up again, "I mean, we've established I'm not a skee ball master, though, so I guess it's a moot point." They rolled the ball and immediately grabbed another.

"It's still fun to think about," Max noted, swinging her arm and letting go of the ball, "I just like the idea that someone might have a competitive skee ball league."

"Fair point," Chloe conceded as Max scooped up the next ball, "Weird dedication to odd hobbies is pretty inspirational, in its own way."

"God, I hope so," Max remarked, grinning as she sent the ball on its way, "Or else what the hell have I been doing with all these damn Polaroids?"

"Traveling through time, for one thing," Chloe pointed out, "But, like, also being hella talented."

"Well, I'm glad _you_ think so, at least," Max remarked, "I just hope the art world agrees."

"They will if they have any sense," Chloe stated, "Like I said, you'll make the world bow. But first, maybe let's just finish off this skee ball lane." Max snorted and bent down to scoop up the last ball, and made a show of lining up the perfect shot. The actual roll didn't live up to her hype, but she just shrugged.

"I guess I'm not quite as good at this as you are," Max observed as she examined the somewhat shorter line of tickets the machine dispensed, "Even with your help."

"Eh, whatever," Chloe scoffed, stepping back from Max to crouch and tear off the tickets, "Like, neither of us really has to be good at handling balls, anyway." Max rolled her eyes and groaned. Chloe just snickered.

"You're ridiculous," Max declared, picking up her bag and slipping it back over her shoulder. Chloe shrugged and smiled.

"It's all just part of what makes me special," she replied. Rolling her eyes again, Max closed the distance with Chloe and pulled her into a gentle embrace, resting her forehead against the taller girl's.

"You _are_ special," Max agreed, "And pervy, and dorky, and ridiculous. But definitely special." Standing on her toes just a bit, she pressed her lips against Chloe's and held her close.

"I'm glad _you_ think so, at least," Chloe sighed, smiling as she echoed Max's words. After another few moments of kissing and embracing, Max released Chloe and settled back onto her heels.

"On to more immediate concerns," Chloe whispered, a twinkle in her eye as she reached into her pockets, "What are we gonna do with all these tickets?"


	86. An Evening's Amusement

As it turned out, even though it sure _felt_ like they'd done really well at the arcade, Chloe and Max's long chains of tickets didn't go very far. When Max had suggested going there, Chloe had gotten an image in her head of handing over wads of tickets to the guy at the counter and both of them walking out with ridiculously huge stuffed animals. Instead, their combined winnings weren't enough for even just a moderately huge stuffed animal. Just as well, Chloe had thought to herself grumpily on the way out. There wasn't room in the cab of her truck for bigass teddy bears anyway.

Instead, Max had suggested they just save their tickets and add them to any others they won over the next few months. It was as good a plan as any, Chloe figured. The tickets didn't expire, really, and unless Arcadia Bay got a lot more entertaining really quick, this wasn't going to be their last trip to the arcade to kill some time.

The rest of the afternoon and evening went pretty much like usual. They got back to Chloe's house and went upstairs to her room to drop Max's stuff off. Made out some, talked about their days and their weeks, just decompressed and stuff. Once Mom and David were home, it wasn't long before dinner, and afterwards Chloe and Max just kind or retreated back to her room.

It was a weird sort of groove they'd gotten into over the last month and a half. They'd go up to Chloe's room after dinner and hang out for an hour or two before Mom and David went to bed, and Max had to go downstairs. They they'd kill some time communicating through their phones or computers until they knew Mom and David were asleep, and Max would sneak up to Chloe's room. They'd talk some more, or snuggle, or bang, or all three, and then set an alarm for hella early. Max would get up in the morning before everyone else and tiptoe back down to the pullout couch in the living room, and they'd reunite a few hours later. It was overly complicated and a pain in the ass, but it sure beat having to just sleep apart, Chloe thought.

What made it weird, though, was that Chloe was almost _positive_ that Mom knew what she and Max were up to. After all, she'd basically admitted just that the night she'd gotten called in for a late shift and asked that Max be "in her own bed" by the morning. That was pretty much an acknowledgment that Chloe and Max would be sleeping together- like, even literally- right? It just felt like bullshit to have to keep up the illusion when everyone involved _knew_ it was just that. Maybe it was all just to keep David from flipping out, but Chloe doubted it. He'd always been suspicious of her when she wasn't actually up to anything, so even if he didn't _know_ she and Max were secretly sharing her room every night Max was over, Chloe just kind of figured he assumed it. If he did, though, he wasn't making a fuss about it, so that was a relief, if nothing else.

"Okay, now look out the window, but, like, be pensive," Max instructed, looking through the viewfinder of her camera as Chloe sat in her desk chair. It was still raining, and Max had said she liked the effect of water droplets on the window, so she started taking pictures. From there, she'd brought Chloe in and made a whole photoshoot of it.

"Pensive?" Chloe asked, looking at Max quizzically, "Isn't that that thing from _Harry Potter_? Like, where you can go into memories and stuff?" Max lowered her camera and cocked an eyebrow.

"No, it means, like, thoughtful," she explained, "The _Harry Potter_ thing is spelled different, but I think it's supposed to be a pun." She raised her camera again. "Come on, look thoughtful." Chloe shrugged before posing, resting her chin in her hand and frowning a little at the window, furrowing her eyebrows a bit like she was thinking through stuff.

"Okay, good!" Max said after her camera clicked and flashed, "You can relax now." Chloe sat back in the chair and turned to face Max more directly.

"How'd it turn out?" she asked, "Do I look deep?"

"It's not done developing yet," Max noted, setting the picture on Chloe's desk, "But I thought you looked good and thoughtful, yeah." She gave a reassuring smile, and Chloe felt herself relax a bit. It wasn't a particularly high stakes situation, granted. Just Max taking pictures and planning them on the fly. But Chloe still felt good when she could actually _help_ Max with something. For all the brunette insisted otherwise, Chloe couldn't help feeling pretty useless a lot of the time.

"So, um, any other shots you want to block out or whatever?" Chloe asked. Max just shook her head and sat down on the floor, scooting over to lean against Chloe's legs.

"Nah, those were fine for now," she replied, leaning her head back to rest on Chloe's knees and smiling up at the taller girl, "What do _you_ want to do?"

"Eh, looking down at you being all cute is a strong contender," Chloe remarked, vamping for time as she considered the question. Reaching down, she ran both hands through Max's hair, stroking and earning some happy little coos and hums from the brunette.

"Well, this _is_ oddly relaxing," Max conceded, her eyes slowly closing as Chloe continued playing with her hair, "The, um, leaning my head back thing. It's not odd that you stroking my hair is relaxing. But, like, you'd think bending my neck like this would hurt or something, but it doesn't, is the point." Chloe chuckled.

"Yeah, I understood what you were saying," she murmured, "Don't worry. Just, you know, let it be relaxing, and don't overthink it." Max snorted quietly but smiled again, shrugging gently.

Having Max resting against her always made Chloe feel special. In the context of her adult life, anyway. She was pretty sure Max must have fallen asleep and ended up leaning against her in a naptime or sleepover or something when they were kids, but that was just sort of an accident of circumstance. Since reuniting with Max, though, it felt a lot more significant.

That first time in the junkyard had been a little stressful, granted. Chloe had told herself that Max was breathing just fine, and that she should just give her a few minutes to recover, but she'd still been plenty anxious. Most of the times since then that Max had rested her head in Chloe's lap, or against Chloe's shoulder, or on Chloe's chest, had been a lot less fraught, luckily, but Chloe had never shaken that protective feeling, like Max was trusting her with her safety.

"Okay, now that neck stuff is sort of kicking in," Max announced after a few minutes, sitting back up and then scooting around on the floor to face Chloe, "But it was comfy while it lasted." Chloe stood and walked over to her bed, sitting again and resting her back against the wall.

"Would this be better?" she asked, patting the covers next to her, "Like, it seems like it'd be less neck strain." Max nodded and smiled, quickly climbing up onto Chloe's bed. Shifting around a little to settle into the mattress, she rested her head on Chloe's lap, again facing up.

"Mm, yes, this is better," Max agreed, closing her eyes and smiling, "Like so much solar power, this is more sustainable." Chloe snickered.

"You're a dork," she teased, nevertheless smiling down at her Max and stroking her dark brown hair.

"I know," Max answered, her voice soft and lazy, "But if you're just now figuring that out, you haven't been paying attention."

"Oh, I've known since day one," Chloe assured, "You're pretty adorkable."

"Thank you," Max replied, "You're punderful." They laughed together for a few seconds before settling back down. After that, they spent another few minutes in silence, just enjoying the moment. Eventually, though, Max sat up slowly.

"I, um, didn't want to drift off to sleep," she explained sheepishly, "I said it before, but you really _are_ comfy."

"Well, should I entertain you a bit, then?" Chloe asked, "You know, so you don't fall asleep?" Max raised her eyebrows and grinned, scooting closer to Chloe and putting one arm across the taller girl's shoulders.

"Oh? Entertain me how?" She bit her lip, eyes twinkling.

"Eh, I figured I could maybe do a little dance," Chloe teased, shimmying a little to demonstrate, "Or I could tell knock-knock jokes, if you want. Whatever. I'm pretty multitalented." Max snorted and rolled her eyes.

"What did you _think_ I meant?" Chloe went on, grinning. It was always fun to tease, she thought, and she was pretty sure Max liked it, too.

"Hm, I dunno," Max mused, pressing herself closer and running her fingers along Chloe's jaw, "A puppet show, maybe? Or you could sing me some highlights from Gilbert and Sullivan?" Chloe chuckled.

"At last! I've been waiting for a chance to put my years of experience performing sock puppet opera to use!" she joked, amused that Max was running with the bit, " _Pirates of Penzance_ is, like, a million times better with yarn hair and googly eyes, I promise!" Even as she spoke, Chloe wrapped an arm around Max's waist and squeezed her gently.

"That sure sounds like quite the show," Max remarked quietly, cupping Chloe's cheek and turning her face so their eyes met, "Think you can treat me to a performance?"

"Well, I'd need to actually make all the characters out of socks and crafting supplies," Chloe noted, brushing her nose against Max's and looking into those pretty blue eyes, "We'd have to go out to Target, buy a hot glue gun and yarn and stuff, it'd be a huge hassle."

"Oh darn," Max murmured, her breath warm against Chloe's lips as she spoke, "I guess we'll just have think of something else instead." Leaning in slightly, Max planted a long, soft kiss on Chloe's lips.

"This works too," Chloe whispered once she could speak again, gently running a hand along Max's spine, "If you think it'll hold your interest, anyway." Max rolled her eyes and scoffed, starting to speak again before pausing and frowning a bit.

"Your mom's gonna knock on the door in about a minute, actually," Max stated, pressing her lips against Chloe's for another lingering kiss before releasing her and reluctantly getting up off the bed, "But do you think you could, um, 'entertain' me some more in like an hour?"

"Yeah, I think I should be able to handle that," Chloe replied, nodding, "Just be warned: It's gonna be an audience participation show." Max giggled, and a knocking came at the door.

"Oh, those are my favorite," Max assured, leaning down for one last, quick kiss before starting for the door, "See you then!"


	87. Closer

Waiting was weird for Max. She wasn't a particularly impatient person. At least, she didn't think of herself as being impatient. Maybe nobody did. She'd never really been someone who was always in a rush. Really, she was more the sort of person who liked to just sit and watch the world pass around her.

But her power had complicated the way Max thought about time. She could hold on to moments for longer and longer. She could go back and visit them, even, if she'd thought to take a picture. Everything felt a lot less fleeting to her now. The flipside of that, though, was that it was all that much more frustrating when she _was_ feeling impatient. She could rewind or pause things all she wanted, but she could never make things move _faster_.

A lot of it was all in her head, Max knew. She could spend a week without actually seeing Chloe more or less happy, provided they texted or talked on the phone or skype at some point every day. It just seemed silly that the hour or so between when Joyce and David went to bed and the time she got to sneak up the stairs and fall into bed next to Chloe felt so much longer. Silly or not, though, the little stretch of the evening every other Friday and Saturday night was felt more agonizing than the entire week she spent apart from Chloe.

She tried to distract herself, of course. She refreshed her Facebook feed every couple minutes, she browsed Tumblr, she even did some homework. Throughout it all, she kept in contact with Chloe, either through text or Facebook messenger. That helped some, but she was still antsy. It didn't help that they were usually getting cuddly and frisky by the time Max had to go into her exile, so she was left hanging…

Finally, Max got the message she'd been waiting for, and her face immediately broke into a grin. As quick as she could, Max shut off her laptop and rolled off the pullout couch. Taking a second to make sure everything was set so she could just come downstairs and fall into bed in the morning, she clicked off the light and made her way over to the foot of the stairs. Drawing a deep breath, Max slowly began to climb. Maybe she didn't have to be as quiet as she was, but Max would rather be safe than sorry. That, and she sort of enjoyed the slight thrill of sneaking up to Chloe's room.

Just as quietly as she'd climbed the stairs, Max pushed the door open, closing it behind her before turning to face Chloe. The taller girl was sitting crosslegged on her bed, leaning forward a little and smiling. She'd left the string of Christmas lights on, lighting the room with that dull glow that always made Max feel content. Making eye contact with Max, Chloe leaned further forward and came up to rest on her hands and knees, crawling toward the foot of the bed. Without hesitation, Max padded over to the bed to meet her.

"Did you miss me?" Max asked softly once she was standing at the foot of Chloe's bed, holding the taller girl to her chest. Chloe nodded against Max, and then pulled free and straightened up on her knees, until they were about face to face.

"I _still_ miss you," Chloe murmured, bringing her lips to Max's and cupping the brunette's face in her hands, "You're still too far away from me." Max smiled against Chloe's lips.

"Then bring me closer," she breathed. For a moment they paused, the silence broken only by the patter of the rain against the window as they looked into each other's eyes.

Chloe fell back onto the mattress, squirming for a second to free her legs. Max eagerly followed, hastily crawling along the bed until her face was even with Chloe's once more. Leaning down, she kissed Chloe again, letting herself settle half-beside and half-on top of the taller girl.

"I want you even closer," Chloe whispered between kisses, pulling at the bottom of Max's shirt. Without any further prompting, Max moved to help, rising a little to allow Chloe to pull the garment up over her head. As Chloe pulled her own shirt off, Max undid her bra and dropped it to the side of the bed. Stealing yet another kiss, Max repeated the process for Chloe, tossing the bra aside and pressing herself against Chloe, bare skin to bare skin.

"Is this close enough?" Max asked, moving away from Chloe's lips for a moment to nuzzle against her cheek.

"For now," Chloe replied, wrapping her arms around Max and holding her tight. Shifting slightly, Chloe began to kiss the crook of Max's neck, leaving patches of heat wherever her lips touched. "Can I-" she began to ask.

"Go ahead," Max breathed, gently squeezing the other girl's shoulders. She smiled as she felt Chloe kissing the base of her neck again, then drew in a quick breath as she felt teeth. For her part, she could take or leave hickeys on their own, but she knew how much Chloe liked leaving marks. Well, leaving and getting marks. Whatever. Max didn't mind regardless. Mostly, she just loved how much Chloe seemed to love it.

Things went on from there the way they usually did. There was more making out and more pressing close. Their hands explored and their lips wandered. The rest of their clothes came off. Max wasn't really sure where exactly the dividing line was between "fooling around" and "making love," but it probably didn't matter, she figured. They passed from one to the other at some point, and that was good enough for Max.

"I love you, Chloe," Max whispered once they'd settled into a lull, "My darling Chloe." Most of the time Max spent with Chloe was pretty nice, mortal danger and murder mysteries aside, but she especially loved the moments like this. Their bodies were pressed together, their legs were sort of intertwined, and Chloe had an arm around her, holding her tight. The blankets they'd pulled over themselves sealed in their body heat, which felt all the warmer when contrasted with the rain against the window and roof, and the soft glow of the Christmas lights made it all feel super cozy and romantic.

"I love you, too," Chloe murmured in reply, "My Max, I love you." Max smiled and lazily folded her arms over Chloe's chest, resting her chin on them.

"So, did I get close enough for you?" she asked, "That was a concern of yours, if I remember right." Chloe snorted and grin.

"Yeah, Max, optimum closeness has been reached," the taller girl assured, "Not sure how you could be closer."

"I could be inside you," Max noted, waggling her eyebrows mischievously, "Would that count as closer?" Chloe snickered.

"Psh, you already were a bit ago," she pointed out, leaning her head up to softly kiss one of Max's hands, "But like I said, this is optimum closeness, but it's not necessarily _maximum_ closeness. It's a lot more sustainable, if nothing else."

"A 'holding pattern,' if you will," Max suggested, grinning. Chloe groaned and let her head fall back.

"You're such a dork," she laughed quietly, "You're a dork and you're my dork and I love you."

"That's good to hear," Max replied, unfolding her arms and resting her head against Chloe's chest, "I don't think you can return me, at this point." She felt a hand stroke her hair gently.

"No way I'd ever return you," Chloe whispered, "I mean, I know you're just playing and a person can't be 'returned' or whatever, but you get what I'm saying, right?"

"Yeah, I understand," Max sighed, reaching up and feeling around until she found Chloe's hand, weaving her finger's between the other girl's.

"Good," Chloe murmured, "You're all I've ever wanted. Even as a joke, I don't want you to ever think that I'd rather be someplace else with someone else. That's- I know that's a shitty way to feel, and I don't want to make you ever feel like that."

"I don't," Max assured, "You're fine." So far as Max was concerned, a little bit of playful teasing was just fine. Welcome, even. But abandonment was a real fear for Chloe, based on her past, so it made sense she was less at ease joking about it. Probably best to keep that in mind going forward, she thought.

"Sorry, I guess that got a little too real," Chloe mumbled. Max shook her head and looked up once more, making eye contact with Chloe.

"You don't have to apologize for caring about my feelings, Chloe," Max whispered, "It's sweet that you want to stress that you love me, even if I never doubted it." Chloe's face softened into a smile.

"I'm glad you feel that way," Chloe murmured, gently squeezing Max with one arm while brushing hair out of her face with the other hand, "Thanks for humoring me and stuff." Max climbed up slightly, leaning in to touch her lips to Chloe's.

"You're a sweetheart," she breathed, looking deep into Chloe's eyes as she spoke, "And you're my sweetheart and I love you."

"And I love you," Chloe echoed, tracing her fingers along Max's back and up her neck, adding a gentle pressure on the back of Max's head, pressing her down and back towards a kiss, "Now, come closer."


	88. Happy Birthday

Chloe frowned as the sound of Max's alarm roused her from sleep. It got cut short almost immediately, but it was too late. She was already awake, and she was pretty sure she wouldn't be able to fall back to sleep. Not with Max downstairs, anyway.

"Chloe, I have to leave now," she hear Max whisper, "I'll see you again when you wake up." As the brunette started to get up, though, Chloe pulled her back down and held her tight.

"Nope," Chloe stated, "Not this time." To be fair, having to spend a few hours apart in the morning wasn't exactly the end of the world. All the same, she was tired of it. Morning cuddles were something she'd gotten used to in Seattle, and something she still enjoyed when she stayed over at Max's room. Maybe she was just spoiled at this point, but she wanted Max to just go ahead and stay with her.

"Okay, but I actually _do_ need to go downstairs," Max protested, although she only put up a token struggle before settling her head back down against Chloe, "At least we got to spend the night together. We shouldn't push it and have your mom get strict, right?" That was a fair point, Chloe had to concede. She liked the _idea_ of just saying "screw the rules" and keeping Max in bed with her, but she wasn't sure how that would actually work out in practice. Sure, there was a chance Mom would just sigh, shake her head, and give it up as more ground lost in her war with obstinate teenage rebellion, but it was more likely they'd get into a fight, and she'd start to crack down some on Chloe and Max's sleepovers.

"Fine, fine," Chloe grumbled, loosening her grip on Max, "But I'm coming down with you."

"Really?" Max asked, "Is that- Can you _do_ that?" Chloe snorted a little.

"It's my house, Max," she pointed out, "Or, I guess it's Mom's house. But the point is that yes, I can go downstairs to the living room if I want, whenever I want."

"I know that," Max replied, "But I mean, would it be a problem, do you think, even if your mom found us together down there?"

"Eh, not if we're dressed, probably," Chloe reasoned, "Like, she's gotta know what we've been up to, anyway. But I figure if we at least pretend like you slept down there and I just came down this morning to sit with you, she'll pretend that, too." Max shrugged.

"That actually sounds pretty legit," she remarked, starting to get up again, this time without resistance from Chloe, "Worth a shot, at least. I do like dozing off against you…" Chloe grinned and opened her eyes, glancing around for a second before returning her attention to Max.

"Just put on your sleeping clothes," Chloe instructed, "I'll get dressed like it's for the day."

"I assume you don't mean the 'clothes' I _actually_ slept in," Max joked as she stood up from the bed, motioning at herself, "'Cause that might cause some problems." Chloe raised her eyebrows and laughed a little, slowly sitting up and stretching.

"Yeah, that would sort of undermine the illusion," Chloe agreed, throwing her covers off and rolling out of bed, "Put on what you would have worn if I hadn't passionately ravished you." It was Max's turn to snort, and she clamped her hands over her mouth and nose to muffle her giggling.

They didn't waste too much time getting dressed, and quickly found themselves padding down the stairs. There was a certain irony to the situation, Chloe thought to herself. Then again, this was just the routine that Max had to go through every morning at Chloe's house. Or, every morning at Chloe's house after she'd slept in Chloe's room, anyway. But that was pretty much all of them at this point. It probably wasn't as novel to her.

The pullout couch bed was creaky and a little lumpy, but it didn't really matter all that much. Chloe settled down onto a back corner of the mattress, leaning in against the arm and back of the couch. Max climbed over her and slipped under the covers, shifting around and arranging things so it looked like she'd actually slept there. Once the bed looked sufficiently used, she scooted over and snuggled up beside Chloe.

"What do you usually do when you're down here?" Chloe asked softly, gently running a hand through Max's hair.

"Sleep, mostly," Max replied, "Not as well as when I'm with you, but I usually do drift off again." She slurred her words slightly, clearly still groggy from just waking up. "Why? What do you do?"

"I can never really get back to sleep," Chloe admitted, "I sort of just kill time on my phone until I figure I can come down."

"Oh," Max mumbled, "That makes me a little sad. Sorry I always have to leave you…" Chloe shrugged, but lightly enough as not to jostle Max too much.

"It's just the way my life is right now," Chloe sighed, nevertheless squeezing Max a little tighter, "It'll get better eventually, right? Like, we won't be teenagers forever."

"Well, only the next couple days, for you," Max pointed out.

"Shit, you're right," Chloe replied, "Where does the time go?" Chloe's birthday hadn't really been a huge deal around her house for the last couple of years. After she'd threatened David with a knife a couple years back, the occasion had been pretty subdued. Then she'd dropped out of high school, which sort of made all the days start to blend together. That, along with the general slump her life had gotten into over the last few years, made it hard for her to really get excited about her birthday. Plus, Mom putting in time, effort, and money on any sort of party or presents made her feel guilty. Really, Chloe had only started keeping track of time again when Rachel went missing.

"I don't even know anymore," Max remarked, "But, I mean, your birthday _is_ coming up on Tuesday."

"I won't be an angsty teenager anymore!" Chloe noted, "What am I gonna do with myself?" Max laughed softly, and nuzzled Chloe's shoulder a bit.

"You can be an aimless twentysomething instead," she suggested, "That wouldn't be too much of a change of pace, right?" Chloe smiled and leaned down to press a kiss against the top of Max's head.

"I guess at the end of the day it's not really a big deal," Chloe conceded, "Like, it's cool I'll have two decades even under my belt, but a big 'level up' sound isn't gonna happen or anything. It'll just be another Tuesday, really. No big deal." Max squeezed her for a second then rolled away, scooting over to the edge of the bed and reaching for her bag.

"On the subject of your birthday, I, um, got you something," Max stated, looking through her bag for a second before pulling out a wrapped package and turning back to Chloe, "I wasn't sure if I'd get to see you on your actual birthday, so I brought it for the weekend." Chloe raised an eyebrow and took the gift, turning it over in her hands and examining it.

"You can open it, if you want," Max added, "Or wait for your birthday. Whatever you want."

"Oh, now, obviously," Chloe answered, grinning and pulling off the wrapping paper. Deferred gratification had never been one of her strong suits. Besides, it felt weird to accept a present and then just not open it!

"It's, uh, it's a set of mix CDs," Max explained once Chloe had finished unwrapping, "One's got a song I thought you'd like from every year since you were born, and the other has twenty songs that just remind me of you. Well, and us." Chloe beamed and unfolded the cardboard envelope holding the disks.

"And there's a booklet, too, that's got a list of the songs, with pictures that relate to each one," she went on, "Sort of, anyway. They're all pictures I could take in Arcadia Bay, with the stuff I could get access to. But they all work, I think." After taking a moment to flip through the booklet, Chloe set the whole thing carefully aside to pull Max into a hug.

"I love it!" she declared, expressing as much delight and enthusiasm as she could without raising her voice too much, "Max, this is so thoughtful!" It had been a pleasant surprise to get a birthday present from Max all on its own, but this looked like it had entailed a lot of actual thought and effort. The idea that Max had put in all that work for her sake made Chloe feel like she was glowing.

"I'm glad you think so," Max mumbled, nuzzling her cheek against Chloe's, "I had wanted to get you something more impressive, but finances meant I had to get creative." Chloe rolled her eyes a little even as she smiled.

"This is plenty impressive," Chloe assured, giving Max one last gentle squeeze before releasing her and sitting back, "You're always such a sweetheart." Max blushed a little and grinned.

"I try," she replied, nestling back into Chloe's embrace, "Happy birthday, I guess."

"Thank you," Chloe murmured, kissing Max's scalp once more and stroking her hair, "But, um, if I could come over on Tuesday, would you be up for helping me celebrate then, too?"

"Definitely," Max whispered, "I'd love to."

 **A/N: And a happy birthday to "Where We Go From Here." Thank you to all of you for reading so far, whether you've been following since day one, or you just found this story, or even if you're reading this in the future! It's been a lot of fun writing about the beginnings of Max and Chloe's lives together, and I hope to continue for a while yet!**


	89. A Good Start

**A/N: Happy Election Night (in the United States, anyway. Happy just-another-Tuesday to my international readers)! Here, have some fluff to keep your minds off the live election results for a few minutes.**

"That was really good," Chloe murmured, grinning and peering at Max through half-closed eyes, "Thank you." Max sat up and smiled down at Chloe, reaching out to gently brush strands of blue hair from her face. After a birthday dinner with David and her mother, Chloe had been able to slip out of the house to come sleep over at Blackwell, and Max had wanted to make it an extra special night for her.

"Didn't you tell me one time that you're not supposed to thank people after sex?" Max teased, admiring her love as she lay there, practically glowing.

"Okay, granted," Chloe replied, chuckling a little, "But I mean, I can tell you're making it all about me, so I'm thanking you for that." That much was true. In honor of Chloe's birthday, Max had resolved to spend the night focusing on making _her_ feel good. Making love usually left them both feeling pretty satisfied, regardless, at least as far as Max could tell, but she liked just pampering Chloe every now and again.

"You're welcome, then," Max said, continuing to stroke Chloe's hair as she lay down beside the taller girl, "It's your birthday and all. I wanted to make sure it was a good one." She leaned in and began to softly kiss Chloe's collarbone and neck.

"It's definitely shaping up to be pretty great, yeah," Chloe admitted, "But also kind of novel. I'm not used to being a pillow princess." Max giggled a little and leaned back enough to look Chloe in the eye.

"You can always get me back later," Max pointed out, winking before pressing a gentle kiss to Chloe's lips.

"I'll make a point of it," Chloe murmured, smiling and lazily wrapping her arms around Max, "I'm not, um, I'm not gonna try and steal your thunder _tonight_ , though. Don't worry, I'm totally gonna let you keep on just taking care of me. Wouldn't want to ruin your plan." She waggled her eyebrows playfully, and Max snorted and rolled her eyes.

"My, how gracious," Max teased, "I'm so lucky to be dating someone so considerate."

"I try," Chloe replied, giving a shrug and a sly smile.

"I wouldn't want anyone to try and steal you away from me, then, though," Max went on, punctuating her words with kisses, "I'll have to think of _some_ way to show people you're spoken for…" Even as she pretended to think, Max began to trail her kisses down Chloe's neck.

"Yeah, sounds like a smart idea," Chloe agreed, clearly seeing where Max was going with this, "I'm sure you'll think of something." Max smiled to herself, pleased that Chloe was having fun playing along.

Finding a good spot near the base of Chloe's neck, Max carefully bit down. Whenever she did any biting Chloe always assured her that she could bite harder, if she wanted. Even with that go-ahead, though, Max could never quite shake the fear of accidentally hurting Chloe. Nevertheless, she put in a bit more pressure all the same. It was Chloe's night, after all, and so she figured she'd do things the way Chloe liked.

"Nh- Yeah, that seems like it should work," Chloe remarked as Max planted hot kisses on the spot she'd bitten, "You're so clever. I have such a clever Max."

"I do what I can," Max replied, pressing one last kiss to the spot before bringing her face to Chloe's once more, "I don't think the mark will be permanent, though, unfortunately."

"Damn," Chloe grumbled, smirking as she played, "Guess you'll just have to reapply it on the regular."

"I guess," Max agreed, "If that's what it takes." With that, she leaned down to steal a kiss from Chloe's lips, lingering there for a moment. Then another moment. Then another. It didn't take long from there before they were making out. That was fine with Max, though. After all, tomorrow morning was her late-start day. She could afford to indulge Chloe some more.

Max let her hands wander, squeezing Chloe where she liked to be squeezed and rubbing her where she liked to be rubbed. At length she released Chloe's lips so she could kiss down her darling's neck and chest, dwelling there a little while as she set her fingers to work further down. The blue haired girl's breath came fast and heated as Max kissed and nipped, and as she curled her fingers.

"Max," Chloe managed to gasp, "Kiss me. I want to –nnh- be kissing you when-" Not wasting any time, Max complied, sinking into a heated kiss as Chloe held her tight. It didn't take long after that for Chloe to go over the edge, and she kissed Max all the more eagerly when she did.

"I love you," she breathed once she settled back into a lull, "Max, I love you so much." Max smiled and kissed Chloe again, much softer now.

"And I love you, darling," Max murmured in reply, stroking Chloe's hair with her free hand, "You're wonderful." Chloe's face broke into a grin, and she slowly released Max from her embrace, relaxing once more and going slack.

"What time even is it?" Chloe asked lazily. Max reached over to her nightstand, grabbing her phone after wiping her hands with a tissue.

"Just before one," Max reported, checking the screen.

"Sorry for keeping you up late," Chloe mumbled, "Like, not sorry enough to have any regrets. But, you know, a little sorry." Max smiled and shrugged.

"It's fine," she assured, "I don't plan to be up tomorrow until, like, nine, so it's not too bad. But even if tomorrow was a normal schedule day, this would have been worth it." Setting her phone back on her nightstand, Max settled down beside Chloe, nuzzling against her shoulder.

"Thanks," Chloe murmured, putting an arm around Max and running the other hand through her hair, "Like I said, tonight has been great. You, um, you made me feel really special."

"You _are_ special," Max pointed out, "You're special to me, anyway." She snuggled a little closer to Chloe, enjoying the heat emanating from her.

"That's what matters most to me, in the end," Chloe admitted, "You're my world." Max felt her cheeks heat up, and she smiled.

"Psh, now you're making _me_ feel special," she replied, "Being all sweet and stuff." Chloe chuckled a little and gave Max a gentle squeeze.

"I like being sweet," the blue haired girl explained, "For you, at least. And besides, it's true." Max's heart fluttered a little.

"So, how does it feel?" Max asked after a few minutes of comfortable silence, just nestled in Chloe's embrace, "Being twenty?" Chloe shrugged lightly.

"Eh, I mean, it's basically the same," she replied, "In practical terms, anyway. Still can't rent cars, still can't drink. Or, I can't drink _legally_ , anyway. But it is kind of cool to not be a teenager anymore. Like, my teenage years pretty much sucked, so it feels good to put that behind my symbolically."

"Yeah, after eighteen, I guess twenty one is the next big legal milestone," Max remarked, "But what you said about symbolically moving forward makes sense. I hope your twenties end up being better than your teens."

"Hell, I don't know how things could be _worse_ than my teens," Chloe said, "Like, unless you move away again and Mom dies or something. But even then, I like to think maybe I'd at least be a bit more well-adjusted about it."

"Well, if it helps put your fears to rest, I don't plan on leaving you," Max assured. Chloe chuckled a little, leaning down to press a kiss to the top of Max's head.

"Thanks," she murmured, "With you around, I'm basically certain that my twenties will be way better than my teens. No doubt."

"Good," Max whispered, "Hopefully that'll bring balance back to the universe. Like, it'll make up for the shitty years or whatever."

"But hopefully not _too_ much balance," Chloe added, "Like, I want my thirties and forties and fifties and more to be happy, too." Max shifted a little so she could look up at Chloe.

"Well, your teens seemed to _really_ suck," she remarked, scooting up a bit more and coming face to face with Chloe, "So I figure there's a pretty big outstanding happiness deficit. I'll just have to try and make the whole rest of your life happy." Chloe grinned and leaned up to kiss Max gently.

"I like the sound of that," the taller girl murmured, "You're sure off to a good start."


	90. No Need To Worry

"Don't worry about it so much," Max gently admonished, taking Chloe's hand and giving it a light squeeze, "I'm sure you did fine." Chloe shrugged and continued to fidget.

"I should have waited longer, I know it," she fretted, shifting around in her seat, "I- I thought I was ready, but I totally jumped the gun, and now I've wasted fifty bucks. Shit." Max sighed and scooted out of her side of the booth to come around to Chloe's.

"Chloe, you did great on all the practice quizzes and the flashcards," the brunette pointed out, "Give yourself some credit." Chloe grumbled something unintelligible as Max scooted over to nestle in beside her, but otherwise stopped fretting for the time being.

It was Saturday morning, and the two of them had decided to go out for a Two Whales breakfast. When they'd made that plan the evening before, it had been meant to be celebratory, but now doubt had had time to creep into Chloe's mind, and she was panicking. Max was doing her best to be reassuring, but she wasn't really getting through.

On Friday, Chloe had taken her GED test. When she'd made the decision, she'd had an image in her mind of showing up at Blackwell in the afternoon, triumphant from having passed with flying colors. As it turned out, the results took some time to actually process and become available, and so she'd had to settle for showing up with nothing better than an "I felt pretty good about it." Max had still seemed proud of her, and had said as much a bunch of times since yesterday afternoon, and for a while that had set Chloe's mind at ease.

Her score was allegedly supposed to have been available within a few hours of finishing that seven hour slog of a test, and yet when she'd gone to check after dinner, she couldn't log in thanks to "system maintenance." Max had been doing her best to either reassure her or keep her mind off it, but Chloe had still slept uneasily. Her anticipation and dread had only built up since then, and she'd been fidgeting nonstop. Granted, the coffee probably wasn't helping on that front.

"I just can't help feeling like I rushed it," Chloe explained after a moment or so of sitting quietly, "Like, I didn't like that I was _twenty_ without even a high school degree, so I just went for it. But that was probably hella reckless, right?"

"Darling, I know you passed," Max reassured, nuzzling against her shoulder, "I have faith in you." Chloe sighed and turned to kiss the top of Max's head.

"I wish I could say the same," she mumbled, "But I've got a pattern of screwing shit up."

"Well, check your score _now_ , then," Max suggested, reaching across the table to pull her plate over and picking up a strip of bacon to nibble on, "Maybe they've finished fiddling with their servers or whatever." That had been an option since they'd woken up, of course, but Chloe's fear about the whole thing had stopped her from going ahead and checking. Much as she hated the dread and uncertainty, she hadn't wanted to look.

But now that Max was prodding her, she didn't really have an excuse. Steeling herself, Chloe pulled out her phone and opened up the web browser. Sure enough, the website was working now, the maintenance having apparently been pretty standard. Chloe took a deep breath and logged in, her heart starting to pound as she waited for the page to load. Hitting the tab to view her scores, she waited out another few agonizing seconds before the table showing her scores finally appeared on the screen.

"So what's it say?" Max asked, sounding hopeful, "What did you score?" Chloe's face broke into a grin, and she laughed a little in spite of herself.

"I got a score average of seven thirty eight," Chloe reported, slumping back in relief, "A passing score on any one test is four ten. I didn't just pass, I friggin' aced this thing!" Finally, she could breathe easy. Granted, she'd never had any evidence there was a reason to worry, but that had always sort of been her first response to stuff like this. Now she was free to just relax, celebrate, and enjoy the weekend with Max.

"See? I told you you'd do fine!" Max remarked, putting an arm around Chloe and giving her a gentle squeeze, "I'm not surprised, but I _am_ proud of you."

"Thanks," Chloe sighed, draping her arm around Max to hold her close and setting her phone back down on the table, "This is, like, the biggest thing I've ever not screwed up!" Suddenly, she had a high school degree. Well, not _exactly_ a high school degree, but the equivalent of it, anyway. Good enough for government work, right? Literally.

"I maintain you never give yourself enough credit," Max noted, reaching up to turn Chloe's face toward hers, "Still, it's a big deal! Congratulations, darling." She leaned up to press a quick, gentle kiss to Chloe's lips before settling back down in her seat to continue eating breakfast.

"Don't know what I'm gonna do with myself now," Chloe mused, still grinning as she sipped her coffee, albeit much more leisurely now, "Could look for work like a grownup or something, I guess." Max nodded.

"Hopefully it'll be easier with your GED," she suggested, "You can make some money and get a work history while you wait for me to catch up and graduate."

"Probably a good idea," Chloe agreed, "It'd be nice to have some moving money. I guess I've just been assuming we're not going to stay here in Arcadia Bay after you finish at Blackwell, but you weren't planning on it, right?"

"Definitely not," Max assured, resting back against Chloe and nuzzling in a bit, "If you'd wanted to, I figure it wouldn't be so bad. But no, I was thinking we'd go up to stay back at my house in Seattle for a bit, then move on from there." Chloe had to admit she'd sort of regret leaving Mom behind, but it was bound to happen eventually, right? This time around wouldn't be in the middle of a catastrophic downpour, though, so it probably wouldn't be so hard on her. Still, Chloe sure as hell didn't want to lurk around Arcadia Bay the whole rest of her life.

"Will your parents be cool with that?" Chloe asked, gently rubbing Max's shoulder, "It was nice of them to let me stay back in the fall, but that was for a set amount of time. I couldn't really hold it against them if they weren't as eager to take me on indefinitely." Max shrugged.

"I mean, I think they'd be fine with it," she replied, "It's not like we can't afford to have you stay for a while. But they told me you were welcome to come stay with us for spring break, which I figure is a good sign. We could ask them then, if you want."

"God, things are really moving," Chloe remarked, "Got my GED, you'll be graduating in a few months, then we'll be up in Seattle, I guess. After spending so much time just sort of dicking around here in town, it feels weird to actually have solid plans. My life used to be so… Static."

"I sort of know what you mean," Max said, "For the first time ever in my life, I'm not gonna have summer vacation before starting classes again in the fall. I'm just gonna be done. It's surreal."

"Maybe don't think of it as being done, so much as you're starting something new," Chloe suggested, grasping for something reassuring to say. Max snorted.

"Look at you, being all deep and stuff," she teased, turning to smile up at Chloe, "You didn't waste much time maturing into your twenties, did you?" Chloe snickered and shook her head.

"Sure didn't," Chloe agreed, squeezing Max close and leaning in for an Eskimo kiss, "What if I caught time powers from you or something and now I'm aging hella fast?"

"I sure hope not," Max replied, smiling and running a hand through Chloe's hair, "I wouldn't be able to catch up, and I'd really been looking forward to growing old with you." Chloe could feel her face heat up with a blush. Or maybe it was just from being so close to Max's. Whatever, she figured. May as well run with it.

"Oh no," she lamented, nevertheless grinning as she joked, "I can feel myself aging! Only a kiss from a time traveler can save me!"

"Don't worry, I'll rescue you!" Max answered, matching Chloe's campy tone as she leaned in, "Think youthful thoughts!" They both chuckled a little for a second before Max touched her lips to Chloe's, lingering there longer this time and pressing herself close.

"There," Max whispered after a few moments, when she settled back, "Are you back to normal?" Chloe smiled and nodded.

"I think so," she replied, "But just in case, you should keep kissing me throughout the day. You know; to be safe." Max giggled softly.

"Better safe than sorry," the brunette agreed, "You know how I worry about you, though. I'll probably insist on kissing you a bunch tomorrow, too. Just for peace of mind."

"That's fine with me," Chloe assured, "I'd hate to worry you."

"That's mature of you," Max noted, "Maybe a little _too_ mature!"

"I guess you'll just have to kiss me again," Chloe remarked, grinning down at her. Feigning a resolute look, Max nodded.

"It sure looks that way," she teased, "But I'll do whatever it takes."


	91. Wonderful

Max still couldn't help but feel proud of Chloe for getting her GED. After the initial excitement wore off, Chloe went back to insisting that it wasn't really a big deal, and she was just getting back to where she would be if she "hadn't been such a screw-up." Max wanted to focus on the positive, though. Even if all this functionally meant was getting back on track, she still thought it was impressive that Chloe took the initiative and actually followed through. Thinking back to the Chloe she'd been reunited with back in October, Max wasn't sure that Chloe would have done the same.

They'd both grown and changed since that moment their eyes had locked in the parking lot. For Max, most of the development had happened over the course of that one week. At the start, she'd felt like she was just sort of drifting through life, like nothing she did mattered. Saving Chloe, then Kate, had given her more of a sense of purpose, and even as scary as things got, she at least felt like she was _doing_ something in the world. Things had gotten a lot calmer after that first week with her powers, but she'd still never lost that understanding that she- or anyone, for that matter- could make a difference.

Chloe's changes had been more gradual. She'd more or less kept her rebellious edge, but a lot of the bitterness it had been mixed with had faded over the last several months. Whether it was from an ample supply of kisses and cuddles or just from not constantly worrying, Max wasn't sure, but Chloe seemed a lot calmer now, too. Besides that, she'd stopped smoking while they were in Seattle. Early on, Max had told Chloe to kiss her instead of going out for a smoke whenever she felt like she needed one, and it seemed to have worked. Or maybe it was just that Chloe had weened herself and powered through with force of will, and all the smooches had been incidental. Whatever. Max wasn't going to look a gift horse in the mouth.

After breakfast, they'd made their way over to the beach and Lighthouse Overlook Park. It was still March, and still pretty nippy, but the weather was nice enough they could just sort of stroll around as they liked. Max still stayed nestled in close to Chloe, though, partially for warmth and partially just because she liked to. It wasn't like Chloe demanded an explanation or anything.

"Thanks for believing in me," Chloe murmured as they snuggled on the bench up by the lighthouse. Any walk in Lighthouse Overlook Park eventually brought them there, and it was finally getting mild enough that they could linger for a while.

"Like I said, I knew you'd do fine," Max replied, feeling around for a moment before finding Chloe's hand.

"You didn't, um, _know_ know, though, did you?" Chloe asked, gently rubbing Max's hand with her thumb.

"Oh. No," Max answered after she figured out what Chloe was asking, "I was just confident in you." She glanced up at Chloe, who smiled and leaned in for an Eskimo kiss.

"Well, thanks double, then," the taller girl whispered, "I'm- I'm glad you have faith in me. It means a lot, to have you believe in me and stuff."

"You've always been smart," Max pointed out, "It was just a matter of applying it." Chloe shrugged, but stayed smiling.

"You might think a little too much of me," she mumbled, looking away for a second while still holding Max close, "I'm really not all that."

"You just don't think enough of yourself," Max countered, "You self-deprecate, but I think you're pretty wonderful." Chloe blushed at that, grinning regardless and leaning down to steal a quick, soft kiss from Max's lips.

"Well, I know better than to try and convince you otherwise," Chloe noted, a hint of playfulness creeping into her voice, "But if you wanted to try and convince _me_ , I wouldn't stop you." Max snorted and made a show of rolling her eyes. It wasn't as if she actually minded showering Chloe with praise, though. Maybe fishing for compliments wasn't a good habit to encourage, but she just loved the way Chloe got all giddy when she was built up.

"You're really sweet," Max began, speaking softly and fondly as she reached up to cup Chloe's cheek, "I love how much you care for me, and look out for me. I always feel safest when I'm snuggled up next to you." Chloe turned her head slightly to kiss Max's palm.

"You're beautiful," Max went on, "There are times when looking at you makes my knees go weak. Looking into your eyes can take my breath away, and your smile is like a sunrise." That was probably a little over the top, but whatever. Chloe was worth some hyperbole.

"You're strong," she continued, "You've gone through a lot, and you've come out the other side still standing. When you put your mind to something you don't give up. My darling, you make me so proud." She shifted around a little to nestle in close to Chloe.

"You're also remarkably cuddly," Max added, putting her arms around Chloe's waist and squeezing her close, "You've reached a perfect level of soft and squishy, and I always love when I can just rest in your arms." Max felt Chloe's arms wrap around her, and a hand run through her hair.

"And, last but not least, you're really smart," Max finished, "You passed your test no problem! Plus, I saw your report cards in other timelines. Trust me, you're smart." Chloe chuckled, and Max felt the taller girl lean down to press a kiss against the top of her head.

"Okay, I'll believe you," Chloe sighed, "You make a pretty convincing case." Max giggled and gave Chloe one last squeeze before sitting back up to face her.

"I mean, I could go on and on all day, if I had to," she noted, "But yeah, that's some of the Cliff's Notes version."

"I figure you hit the main points," Chloe replied, beaming even as she put on a nonchalant tone, "You glossed over my blossoming kitchen skills, but I guess that arguably falls under 'soft and squishy.'" She prodded her own belly with a forefinger for effect. Max laughed a little and shrugged.

"The point is, I think you're wonderful," Max said softly, smiling up at Chloe, "I loved you in October, I love you now, and I'm pretty certain I'll love you forever. We're _just_ eighteen and twenty. We're going to change over the course of our lives. But that's one thing that won't."

"That's a weight off my shoulders," Chloe remarked, sounding more playful than relieved, "I was worried I'd have to buy your affection with cookies or something. You know, once we're older and I'm not sexy and alluringly dangerous anymore."

"I don't think you have anything to worry about," Max assured, smiling as she leaned up a bit for a kiss, "But you're definitely welcome to give me cookies anyway."


	92. Portland Pit Stop

As Chloe understood it, Max didn't actually _need_ to be gone from the Blackwell dorms until Saturday at noon. She didn't really have any reason to stick around in Arcadia Bay for Friday night, though, so they'd planned to head out after Max's classes finished up. Going over everything the weekend before, Chloe and Max had agreed to make it as far as Portland that night, and then drive the rest of the way in the morning.

If she was being honest, Chloe would have preferred to just stay in Portland the whole week, or maybe go check out San Francisco. Or hell, just driving around to more parks and staying in random motels again would have been cool, too. But apparently Easter was a family holiday for the Caulfields- or, really, for the Peaslees, Chloe supposed, since it was Vanessa's family, not Ryan's- so she and Max had to be back in Seattle by Saturday so that they could go to Vanessa's parents' house on Sunday.

The traditional Easter luncheon Max had described seemed to be an all-day event, but after that they had the rest of the week open to do whatever. After their sort of aimless trip up to Seattle in October and then their weeklong return to Arcadia Bay along the scenic route back in January, they'd agreed to just spend a couple days in Seattle, then a couple days in Portland, and just drive back to Arcadia Bay on the Sunday morning before classes started back up.

"Do you got everything?" Chloe asked once Max had climbed up into the cab and shut the door, "I mean, I guess we're going to your house, so it's not a big deal, but still." Max nodded.

"I checked before coming down to meet you," she replied, "I think I'm all set. How about you?"

"I'm all good," Chloe declared, turning the key in the ignition, "I even packed a couple different nice outfits to pick from for your Easter thing." She pulled out of the parking lot and turned onto the road.

"Ooh, getting fancy," Max teased, smiling over at Chloe, "What are the options?"

"Well, I've got some khakis and sort of light green- or maybe aqua?- button down shirt," Chloe stated, "Sort of keeping with my regular style for formal stuff. But I also brought along one of those sundresses Mom kept buying for me." Max snorted.

"I'm having trouble picturing you in a sundress," she admitted after a brief fit of laughter, "I mean, I guess I remember you wearing dresses and skirts when we were little. But for modern Chloe, my brain's just giving me a 'Does not compute.'"

"Eh, I haven't really worn a dress in a while, but it looked Easter-y," Chloe replied, shrugging, "After- After Dad's funeral, I didn't really dress fancy much at all until lately. I figured I'd at least like the option to change it up if I want, you know?" Max nodded.

"I can understand that," she remarked, "But anyway, I'll love you whatever you wear. I've only really seen you in the one nice outfit, so I'm looking forward to seeing how you look!"

"I'll bet," Chloe teased, glancing over and playfully raising her eyebrows, "But I don't really need to pick until Sunday, right? Whatever. It'll be a gametime decision."

"Definitely," Max agreed, "Or, I mean, Saturday night would probably be preferable. But it's not important right now, is what I'm getting at." She reached out a hand to gently stroke Chloe's arm. "Let's just enjoy road tripping." That was fine with Chloe. Driving around with Max, just talking and enjoying the scenery, was one of her favorite things. For one thing, she just enjoyed scenery, Max, and driving, so the three coming together was naturally pretty great.

But it was more than that. Chloe still lived in Mom's house, and Max lived over in the Blackwell dorms. Even in Seattle, they'd been in Max's _parents'_ house. But the truck, old and beat up as it was, belonged to Chloe and Chloe alone. It was the most significant piece of property she owned, the nearest thing to her own place, and so it felt nice to share it with Max. Especially when they got out of town and onto the road, it felt like they were in their own little world.

Their conversation wandered as they drove, the way it always did. They talked some about plans for the coming week, trying to brainstorm a rough schedule. Back in the fall, they'd had months in Seattle to sort of venture out when the mood struck, but they only had a week this time around. On top of that, the days were getting longer and the weather was getting warmer, so Max had been laying out plans for visiting a lot of outdoor locations. They'd head back to Pike Place Market, they agreed, which Max assured was a lot nicer to visit in April than in December. Besides that, Max tossed out the names of a bunch of parks and outdoor landmarks, which all sounded fine with Chloe. It was fun to see the city, but ultimately her main goal was just to hang out with Max.

Since neither of them were actually _from_ Portland, they had a less clear idea of how they'd spend their days there. That was what Google was for, Chloe supposed, and they'd have that evening and then the morning to scope out places to come back to later. It seemed to have plenty of parks of its own, and a search on "What to see in Portland" had turned up info about a zoo, a "Japanese garden," and apparently some kind of internationally renowned rose nursery. She also hoped to maybe meet up with Liv, Lonnie, and Sam again, but even if not Chloe was confident she and Max would have a good time in Portland.

As it happened, Max had booked them a room at a Travelodge or something actually _in_ Portland, so that was cool. The room was pretty standard, but it did have one big king sized bed instead of two queens or two double beds, so that was cool. There was even a restaurant downstairs in the same building, which was convenient. It was just a cheap bar and grill sort of place, but Chloe didn't really care.

After dinner, Chloe and Max went for an evening walk. There was a big park right across the street, so they decided to give that a look. For all the region had a reputation for rain, that afternoon had been sunny and downright warm, which made their leisurely walk pretty nice. They still walked with Max nestled in close under Chloe's arm, but it was just for love, now, not for warmth.

"This is really nice," Max remarked as they climbed a narrow path going up along the side of a hill, "I bet the view from the top is great!"

"Even if not, this is some nice scenery," Chloe noted, glancing up the steep slope and admiring the trees, "I know we're _in_ the city right now, but it feels like we're way out in the woods here at this part. Well, except for that chip bag lying over there…"

"Yeah, I guess the litter does kind of undermine the illusion of this being pristine woodlands," Max agreed as the path leveled out and merged with a sidewalk along a winding street running along a sheer cliff wall, "And this too, I guess." Chloe shrugged and looked around. The "out in nature" feel of the dirt path sort of fell away in the face of cement and asphalt, but there was still plenty of greenery growing up around them, and the cliff face was pretty neat looking. Better yet, there was an overlook a few yards down the sidewalk, and Chloe hurried over.

"This is a pretty killer view, at least," she noted, taking a moment to just admire the city in the evening light, "Kind of balances out." Down near the foot of the hill Chloe could see their hotel, and from there the city started to rise. Portland State University, then downtown and the Willamette River, and in the distance was a mountain- Mt. Hood, maybe?- so picture perfect it seemed painted in the background of a set or something. After a moment, there was a click and a whir, and Max shook a polaroid as she snuggled back up next to Chloe.

"It's stunning," Max murmured, "I'm glad we came up this way."

"Get a good picture?" Chloe asked, smiling and turning to press a kiss against Max's head. The shorter girl nodded.

"Two, actually," she reported, "This one just of the view, and one before where I got you kind of in silhouette in front of the city as a backdrop." She held up the developing photo for Chloe to see. It looked pretty good, Chloe thought, but she thought that about most of Max's pictures, even the ones the brunette fussed over and insisted didn't hold up. Even if this one didn't make it into a "Modern Masters of Photography: Best of Max Caulfield" coffee table book one day, she liked it.

"Ready to head back down?" Chloe asked after a few minutes of just taking in the view, "Maybe check out downtown before it gets too late?"

"Sure," Max replied, nodding and stowing her camera and photos back in her bag. They started down the sidewalk, which eventually led them back down the hill. Even though it didn't feel secluded as the dirt path from before, it was still fun to walk along what felt like a mountain road. They passed a grove of flowery shrubs- lilacs, a sign said- as they looped back to the hotel, and from there it wasn't hard to find a bus to take them downtown.

Even as it got dark, the city felt alive, and Chloe loved it. There was some kind of tulip festival or something still attracting people even after it had "closed" at the big plaza across from the old courthouse, and there were street performers all over downtown. Max, of course, insisted on taking a trip to Powell's City of Books, but it was even fun to just wander the stacks and enjoy the atmosphere. From there they'd sort of meandered towards the river, stopping to get a snack at Voodoo Doughnuts on the way and getting a few pictures of a big mural on the side of a building that read "Keep Portland Weird!"

"Thanks for agreeing to stop here on our way up, Max," Chloe said quietly as they sat on a bench by the river, enjoying their donuts. Once the sun had gone down, it did actually get a little cooler, and so they'd zipped up their jackets and snuggled up close. If she was being honest, Chloe would kind of have preferred it a little cooler still. That way they could get all cozy under all the covers once they were back at the hotel. Then again, there was always air conditioning.

"Of course," Max replied around a mouthful of Diablos Rex Doughnut, "Portland's fun. Why wouldn't we spend some time here?"

"I mean, _I_ can't think of a reason," Chloe admitted, "But I don't know if maybe you'd have rather just gone straight home to Seattle, or stayed at Blackwell tonight and driven the whole way in one go tomorrow or something. So I'm glad we could take a pit stop here instead." Max smiled and finished her donut, licking frosting from her fingers.

"Oh yeah, you totally had to twist my arm to get me to come here," she teased, settling in against Chloe and giving a contented sigh, "A beautiful city full of quirky hipster stuff? Psh, _definitely_ not my thing." Chloe chuckled and stroked her hair gently.

"Okay, fair point," the blue haired girl admitted, "But still, between this and leaving Seattle early to come back here, you're spending a lot of your spring break with just me, and not your family. I guess I'm still just getting used to the idea of being so big a part of someone's life, of _your_ life."

"It's really nice, though," she added hastily, "Just still a little alien to me." Max gave another happy sigh and nuzzled against Chloe.

"Well, get used to it, darling," the brunette murmured, "Because I don't plan on letting you go." She snaked her arms around Chloe and gave a squeeze for effect. "Besides, _you're_ my family, too. Like, a spouse is family, right?" Chloe felt her cheeks heat up a bit, and she couldn't help but grin ear to ear.

"I think so," she replied, holding Max close, "I mean, we're not married, but it means a lot to me that you think of us like we are."

"I plan to marry you at some point," Max pointed out, smiling up at Chloe and shifting around to bring her face closer, "I figure we're well past any sort of 'will they, won't they?' at this point, right?" Chloe leaned in for a kiss, bringing her hand up to cup Max's cheek.

"Yeah, Future-Max kind of gave it away on Christmas Eve," Chloe agreed, giving another kiss, more playfully this time, "Not even so much as a spoiler warning."

"Hm, you're right," Max noted, smiling as they played, "I should be more considerate when I'm her." Chloe shook her head.

"Don't you dare, love," she breathed before sinking into a long, affectionate kiss, "I don't mind knowing how this all ends."

"Oh, I can't imagine that's the _end_ ," Max replied, nuzzling her cheek against Chloe's between kisses, "I plan to have years and years and years together with you. It won't be the end, it'll be the start of a new part of our lives. Or maybe not so new. I can't imagine feeling closer to you than I already do, so what'll really be the difference?"

"Legal perks, I think," Chloe remarked, "And the opportunity to pressure our friends and loved ones into buying us appliances, furniture, and silverware." Max snickered a little.

"Good point," she said, "At this point, my need for a free toaster oven is all that's stopping me from suggesting we elope once we're in Washington."

"Yeah, probably best to wait until we can set up a registry and crap," Chloe agreed, swallowing a fit of laughter, "And until we can get a home to actually put a toaster oven in."

"I can't wait," Max whispered, looking into Chloe's eyes and smiling, "In the meantime, I'll enjoy snuggling and kissing you on a bench under a streetlight by the river. It's like Paris or something."

"It's even better," Chloe noted, "Paris doesn't have a Voodoo Doughnuts."


	93. Now

**A/N: Sorry for the delay. There have been some internet issues over at my house the last couple days.**

They'd been able to get up and get on the road without much trouble on Saturday morning, which was nice. Not that it was really that long a drive from Portland to Seattle, of course, but Max wanted to get home with plenty of time to spare, so she and Chloe could sort of settle in and relax. She didn't think Easter was going to be especially strenuous or anything, but it was still going to entail being "on" for most of the day, which she often found exhausting, even though it was just with her family. It could only be more tiring for Chloe, Max figured, since she'd be basically dealing with a house full of strangers. Granted, she'd met Max's grandparents and one aunt, uncle, and set of cousins, but even that had just been for one evening on Christmas.

On the bright side, the last few months had been a lot less eventful than the week leading up to their escape from Arcadia Bay back in the fall. The only real news was that Chloe had passed her GED test, which was a lot simpler to convey than "I have time travel powers that I used to save this girl (that I've fallen in love with) from getting murdered by a homicidal rich kid for threatening to expose his involvement in what turned out to be a serial rape and kidnapping plot headed by my favorite teacher. I managed to expose him before a freak storm hit the town, and we escaped in the chaos." It sure raised fewer questions, if nothing else.

Tomorrow would probably go fine, Max reminded herself. But even if it didn't, today was off to a pretty nice start. Waking up in a big bed and being able to just snuggle for a bit was a nice change of pace, and they'd been able to complement the dry cereal the hotel had for its continental breakfast with donuts they'd bought the night before. Even having slept in some, it still looked like they'd get home around noon or maybe a little after, so everything was going more or less according to plan.

"So, you said your parents said they were happy to have me stay with them, right?" Chloe asked, tapping her fingers on the steering wheel, "Like, I just want to make sure and stuff."

"Chloe, it's fine," Max assured, nodding and rubbing Chloe's shoulder reassuringly, "And yes, Mom and Dad say they're excited to see you again. Why wouldn't they be?" Chloe shrugged, but Max could feel the tension easing away some.

"I mean, last time there was the storm and crap," she explained, "My room was unlivable, and they remembered me as your childhood friend. Now they know I'm some punk burnout who's banging their daughter, _and_ who has a viable place to live now. Just, I worried they'd be less psyched about adult me now that they've had time to get to know her." Max sighed.

"They love you and care about you," Max insisted, "If nothing else, I doubt Dad would have let it slip to you that he has time powers, too, if he didn't plan on you sticking around. They don't have any problem with us dating each other, and besides, you're not really even a burnout. You've been doing a good job getting your life back on track."

"Okay, those are all fair points," Chloe conceded, smiling a little and letting go of the wheel to squeeze Max's hand for a second, "I guess I'll have to get used to not being an embarrassment or cautionary tale. It feels weird to be accepted and shit."

"If it helps at all, my relatives will probably balk a bit at your hair," Max teased, "They're all a little WASP-y. You can take the family out of New England but you can't take the New England out of the family, I guess."

"Yeah, that does help, actually," Chloe replied, flashing a grin over at Max, "I've got a lot more experience being a curiosity to people than a real responsible grownup or whatever." Max snickered.

"I hear that," she agreed, "It's weird to me that I'm going to be done with high school in a couple months. Really, I don't know what I'm gonna do after that."

"Whatever you end up doing, I'll be there with you," Chloe assured, "Just us two sorta kinda adults, out in the world together."

"You make aimlessness sound so romantic," Max remarked, smiling and resting back in her seat, "Better than terrifying, definitely."

"I try," Chloe replied, "Somebody's gotta put a positive spin on things!" They both laughed, settling in for the trip and making pleasant conversation the rest of the way. After that initial moment of uncertainty, Chloe seemed to have calmed down, and even sounded excited about spending some time in Seattle again. Max was pretty excited to show her around the city when it wasn't cold or rainy, even if they could probably only hit the highlights in the few days they had.

Sure enough, they turned down Max's street a little after noon. Chloe slowed down as she scanned for the house, apparently going off of sight and memory instead of just asking for the address. She did manage to pull into the right driveway on the first try, though, so Max wasn't concerned. Whatever worked.

Mom and Dad came to greet them when they came through the door, and there were hugs all around. For all Chloe's fretting earlier, the whole thing seemed pretty natural and warm, at least to Max's eyes. They caught up a little, but most of the in-depth conversation would probably wait until dinner, it looked like. That was fine with Max, and she and Chloe went upstairs to drop off their stuff in her room.

"Well, looks like everything's where we left it," Max remarked, surveying the room, "Or, I guess they changed the sheets on the bed. But other than that it's the same."

"Eh, works for me," Chloe replied, shrugging and setting her bag down by the foot of the bed, "I mostly just care about who's in the room with me, to be honest." Max smiled and took a few steps to close the distance between them, pulling Chloe into a warm hug and pressing a kiss to her lips.

"You're such a sweetheart," Max whispered, running one hand along Chloe's cheek, "Sorry we're back to a twin after that nice king size bed in Portland. Guess we'll just have to snuggle up close." Chloe smiled and chuckled.

"Sure looks that way," she agreed, holding Max tight, "Think we should practice some?"

"I mean, you'd think we'd be experts at this point," Max noted, "But it couldn't hurt. Wanna go downstairs to the den? We can watch a movie or something." Chloe gave her one last squeeze then released her, following as Max made her way out of her room and into the hall.

"You wouldn't think I'd feel like sitting down," Chloe remarked as the two of them walked down the steps, "I've been sitting all morning in the truck. Being alert and driving and stuff isn't the same as just vegging out, I guess."

"Plenty of time to just relax now, though," Max assured, turning and leading the way to the den, "We could even nap, if we wanted." Stepping over to one of the couches, she plopped down, followed by Chloe.

"Nah, I want to be awake to enjoy feeling you getting all close and cozy," Chloe replied, putting her arm around Max, "I'll sleep later. Right now I want to make the most of 'us' time." Max couldn't help but give a contented little sigh as she nestled into Chloe's arms, finding her comfy spot.

"I love you," she murmured, nuzzling gently against Chloe's shoulder, "I love you, and tomorrow I'm going to introduce you to my family, and then on Monday I'll show you more of my city. But right now, you're just mine, and I'm just yours." She felt Chloe stroking her hair.

"I'm always just yours," the taller girl breathed, "Like, I understand what you were saying. I wanted to stress that, though. I'll only ever be just yours." Max squeezed Chloe tight and leaned up for a kiss.

"I know," she replied, speaking softly as she settled back down against Chloe's chest and shoulder, "My Chloe. My darling Chloe. I can't wait to share my whole life with you." It was true. To a certain extent, some of it was probably that she was just looking forward to getting to a point where she had everything figured out. But she really did look forward to a future with Chloe specifically, too. She looked forward to actually sharing a home, and just chilling out in T-shirts and sweatpants sometimes. She looked forward to coming into the kitchen, _their_ kitchen, to find Chloe cheerfully at work on her latest culinary creation. She looked forward to all the little moments they'd share, the triumphs and the burdens. Maybe that was all too sappy or whatever, but Max didn't care.

"Me neither," Chloe agreed, pressing a kiss to the top of Max's head, "But, I mean, I guess we'll have to. Unless you've figured out some way to fast-forward time, too."

"Nope," Max grumbled, "I can go back all I want, but I can only move forward one second at a time, just like anyone else."

"Well, as long as you have to live through each moment at a normal rate, let's enjoy them," Chloe suggested, tilting Max's face up a bit so she could lean down for a kiss.

"Good advice," Max sighed, looking up into Chloe's eyes and grinning, "I'll try and make the best of 'now.'"


	94. Easter

When Max had said that her family might balk a little at Chloe's hair and clothes, it looked like she'd exaggerated some. Just like at Christmas, Max's younger cousins seemed perplexed, but that was about the most dramatic it got. Looking back, Chloe figured that she and Max _had_ been "Facebook Official" for going on five months now, and so Max's relatives had had some time to Facebook stalk her and get accustomed to their cousin/niece/granddaughter dating a blue-haired girl who skewed butch. Plus, Grandma and Grandpa Peaslee and one aunt and uncle pair had already met Chloe at Christmas.

Or maybe they were just too stoic to let it slip they were shocked to their cores or whatever. Max had given Chloe a quick rundown on her family history the night before, and the Peaslees were indeed WASP-y. There'd apparently been some kind of weird drama with a now-estranged ancestor out in Massachusetts just before World War I, and so Max's great-grandfather had moved to the opposite end of the country. Whatever had gone down, they all seemed pretty normal, by this point. A little too polite, maybe, but otherwise normal.

Despite the semi-formal Easter clothes, the gathering was more freeform than either Thanksgiving or Christmas had been. There was a buffet table set up in the big dining room of Max's grandparents' house, and the first floor of the house was more or less open for people to move around in. Chloe got the sense this was the major yearly gathering for Vanessa's family, based on how Max seemed to be "making the rounds" amongst her relatives, making small talk and catching up with each little group of them in turn.

For her part, Chloe mostly shadowed Max, following her around the house. It wasn't like she _had_ to stick close or anything, but what else would she do? She didn't know anybody else there except for Ryan and Vanessa. Well, she'd met Max's grandparents before, and her aunt and a couple cousins, but she wouldn't go so far as to say she "knew" them. Just like at the "welcome back" mixer at Blackwell back in January, she mostly just tagged along and kept her head down.

That didn't stop Max from introducing her to everybody, though, which Chloe appreciated. Most of Max's relatives remarked that they'd heard of Chloe one way or another, but they all said "it was so nice to make her acquaintance." Mostly, Chloe was just excited that Max happily and proudly noted that they were a couple, confirming that it was serious, if asked. Like, they'd all already sort of known, but being publically acknowledged still made Chloe all kinds of giddy. Someone thought she was good enough. _Max_ thought she was good enough!

"So yeah, that's my mom's side of the family," Max stated once she and Chloe had settled on one of the couches in the living room, "They're- Well, they're them." She gestured around the room.

"They all seemed nice," Chloe remarked, "Like, there wasn't any drama that I picked up on, so that's cool." Max nodded.

"Yeah, thank God for that," she agreed, "My family's never really been big on infighting. Not in all the time I've been alive, anyway. I assume there were a few family feuds and stuff at some point in the past. But not anymore, which is a relief."

"I'll try not to stir up any, then," Chloe replied, flashing a smile, "I feel like this whole thing's been going pretty well. It _has_ been going well, though, right? You haven't been having to rewind and fix things a bunch?"

"No, everything's only happened just this once," Max assured, smiling and leaning over to nudge Chloe's shoulder with her head, "You've been very well behaved." Chloe raised her eyebrows.

"Want me to act out some?" she asked, grinning, "Have some fun, then you can rewind back to here and go on like the day is normal?"

"It's tempting," Max admitted with a smile, scooting a little closer to Chloe, "But we probably shouldn't get complacent with time travel or anything. Feels like it'd be a bad habit to get into, y'know?"

"Yeah, I guess," Chloe conceded, not surprised enough to be especially disappointed, "Can I put an arm around you and hold you nice and close, though?"

"That sounds just fine," Max replied, "That won't cause a scene. Anybody upset by it will be too polite to say so. They'll just pretend not to notice." Having gotten Max's approval, Chloe eagerly wrapped an arm around the brunette and squeezed her close, gently rubbing her shoulder.

"And what if I was to give your head a quick little kiss?" Chloe asked, going ahead and doing just that, "Think that would be okay?" Max gave a quiet little laugh.

"It sure looks that way," she remarked, snuggling up against Chloe, "Besides, everyone thinks it's cute when Grandpa and Grandma hold hands or kiss and crap, so why shouldn't we?"

"You're not gonna get any argument from me," Chloe said, nuzzling her cheek against the top of Max's head as the brunette settled in against her, "I've always thought it's cute when we hold hands or kiss." They stayed there on the couch for a little while, with Max nestled in under Chloe's arm. Just like Max had said, nobody made a big deal out of it, but Chloe still noticed the furtive glances from the brunette's various relatives. She didn't really care too much, though. Sure, she didn't want to make waves, but she also wasn't about to hide that she loved Max, either. If awkward glances from people Max saw once or twice a year was the worst of it, Chloe was happy.

Eventually they got back up, and Max led Chloe around the house again, chatting with her family. At one point they visited with a cluster of her older cousins, which was sort of fun. In Arcadia Bay, most people around Chloe's age were either slightly younger and at Blackwell, which usually meant they didn't have much time for her, or were just boring yokels. Hell, for all her attitude and punk presentation, she still felt like maybe she was just a boring yokel too, sometimes. Getting to talk with people who were in college or graduate school made her a little uncertain, but she tried to keep her head up. With luck, that could be her soon, she thought.

Most of Max's family had asked Chloe the usual small talk questions, but the cousins seemed to take an actual interest in her. Apparently one of them had also gone to Blackwell- In the science track, not fine arts like Max- and so he asked a bit about Arcadia Bay and how things had changed there since the storm. They were all more relatable than the aunts and uncles wandering around the place, though, and they showed some interest when Max brought up her and Chloe's detour in Portland. That led to a tangent about the time in January that the two of them had gotten to hang out with Liv and her band at Yolanda's, which got Max's cousins even more interested, and conversation flowed pretty well from there.

Things started to wind down a little after three. One by one or in little family units, Max's relatives would say their goodbyes, first to the grandparents and then to everyone else, making their way through the house to see everyone before heading out. The families with small children went first, including the two little cousins Chloe had met at Christmas, but empty nesters and grown cousins started making their way out, too. Vanessa stuck around talking with her parents until probably a little over half of the family had left, and then the Caulfields made their exit with Chloe in tow.

Chloe hadn't been consciously tensing up while she was at the Peaslee house, but she definitely noticed herself relaxing once she was in the car with just Max, Ryan, and Vanessa. She appreciated having met the rest of Max's family, and that she'd been brought to this whole Easter shindig, but she was ready to just be around people she knew again. A few years of being mostly on her own or hanging out with one or two close friends- or Max, for the last several months- had left her social skills a little rusty, it seemed like. So many new names and faces to keep track of was a little draining.

"So, Chloe, I hope you had a good time at your first Peaslee Easter," Vanessa remarked as they got onto the road, "I'm so glad you had a chance to meet everyone."

"Oh, um, yeah, thanks for letting me come along," Chloe replied, smiling a little as she was jarred out of her thoughts, "I mean, I get that it was mostly a family thing, so I appreciate being invited."

"Of course," Ryan said, "We wouldn't abandon you back at the house all day! Besides, you're not the first new beau someone's brought to Easter. It's the best time to meet everybody, short of a big family wedding, and I don't think there are any coming up."

"I realize it's probably not the most exciting party you've ever been to," Vanessa added, "But we're glad you had the chance to get acquainted with everyone."

"Well, I just hope I made a good impression," Chloe stated, "Like, I hope to stick around a while, so it would be a problem if I weren't welcome back, y'know?"

"You did fine," Max assured, "I promise, you're fine." She reached over and took Chloe's hand, squeezing it gently in her own. Chloe still felt nervous, but decided to just take the Caulfields at their word and accept being accepted.

Once they were back at the Caulfields' house, Chloe and Max went upstairs to change back into normal clothes. Her shirt and slacks weren't uncomfortable or anything, but if they were gonna just lounge around the house for the rest of the day, she'd rather just wear something more casual. If nothing else, she wanted to take off her tie.

"Well, that's over," Max sighed once they were safely in her room, "The whole rest of the week is just for us, though."

"Just hanging out with you sounds a lot more my speed," Chloe admitted, pulling her tie off and starting to unbutton her shirt, "Sort of fancy parties, not so much. But I will fuckin' _shine_ running around a couple cities with you." Max smiled and lay out her dress on the bed before walking over to the dresser to pull out a T-shirt and jeans.

"I'm glad to hear that," the brunette replied, pulling the jeans on, "It'll be fun to get out on the town without sort of rushing to get indoors." Chloe tossed her shirt aside and shimmied out of her pants, pulling out street clothes from her duffel bag.

"It's a nice town, no doubt," she noted, "But the best part is seeing it the way you do, I think. Or trying to, anyway." Max blushed as her head poked through the collar of her T-shirt.

"Hiding behind a camera lens, you mean?" Max asked, smiling despite her self-deprecation. Buttoning her jeans, Chloe took Max by the hips and pulled her close, grinning down at her.

"What I mean is that you're good at finding beauty in the world," Chloe replied, "In Seattle and really wherever you are, and being with you means I get to see some of that beauty, too." Max blushed a bit deeper, smiling sheepishly and nuzzling into the crook of Chloe's neck.

"You always know how to make me feel special," she mumbled, wrapping her arms around Chloe, "I think _you're_ the one who's good at finding beauty and stuff, if you think I'm so great." Chloe scoffed by smiled, giving Max a gentle squeeze and nuzzling her cheek against Max's head.

"How about we just agree we're both pretty neat," Chloe suggested, "And then you can tell me about the cool shit we'll see over the next few days." Max gave a contented little sigh before gently stepping back out of Chloe's arms.

"Fair enough," the brunette replied, nodding and giving a smile, "Can we snuggle on the couch while I do?"

"Sure," Chloe answered, chuckling a little to herself, "That sounds fine with me."


	95. Gas Works Park

They'd driven around in Chloe's truck a lot back in the fall, which had been pretty convenient. The weather in Seattle was rarely _horrendous_ , but driving up close to wherever they'd been going as they got into November and December had sure been a relief. Late April was a whole different animal, though, and so Max had insisted that they take public transit into town this time around.

There were pros and cons to that, of course. They didn't have to worry about finding and paying for parking, which meant they could be a lot more flexible and spontaneous. They were also more or less at the mercy of the bus and train schedule and routes. Where before they could get to basically wherever they'd planned to be, now they had to settle for "close enough" and walk the rest of the way. Not that Max really minded. There was plenty to see, and just walking around with Chloe was always fun for her.

"Everything here is hills," Chloe remarked as they descended a flight of stairs along one such hillside, "Like, I didn't really notice it so much last time around, but it is really hilly here." Max laughed a little to herself.

"There are hills in Arcadia Bay," she pointed out, taking a moment to admire the mosaic at the landing they'd reached. To be fair, she remembered thinking all the hills were a little daunting when she'd first moved to Seattle from the Bay. It was true enough that Arcadia Bay had hills, but they were a lot gentler than the steep slopes of her new hometown, and fewer in number. Plus, Arcadia Bay being pretty small town-y and kind of rural, most people drove most places, so they didn't even need to traverse the hills they had.

"It feels different, though," Chloe insisted, stopping beside Max and looking at the blues, yellows, and greys that spiraled on the ground in front of them, "All the stuff you go to is level, down by the shore. Hills are where you live, and so you just kind of walk up and down your own hill, you know?" Max nodded, taking Chloe's hand and leading her down another flight of stairs.

"You get used to it," Max noted, taking the steps at a leisurely pace, "After a while, you just kind of acclimate to everything being up a hill."

"And yet here we are, going down," Chloe remarked, her voice light and playful, "Does that mean there's nothing at the bottom?" She glanced down at the narrow street at the foot of the hill, then back at Max. "There _is_ something down there we're going to, right?"

"You'll see," Max replied, putting the phrase in a sort of sing-song, "But yes, I do have a destination in mind." They came to the end of the stairs and crossed the street, stepping onto a concrete path in a park. There was a parking lot over to their left, Max noticed, which she sort of wished she'd remembered. Maybe driving would have been a pretty good option after all… But she just shrugged and continued along the trail.

"Okay, yeah, this is pretty neat," Chloe admitted as they rounded a corner and came in sight of their destination, "Good plan." Max grinned and gave Chloe's hand a gentle squeeze, leading her further into the park.

Gas Works Park had always been one of Max's favorite parts of the city. When her family had first moved up to Seattle, Max had been in an especially awkward phase of her already generally awkward life, and had been pretty miserable at first. She'd ended up making friends and adapting really well to her new life in the city, but early on she'd been reluctant to settle in. There were a lot of factors that helped her ultimately fall in love with the city, but one that really stuck out in her mind was visiting that park.

Like the name suggested, the spot had once been the site of the city's gas plant, which had gone derelict once they made the switch over to electric streetlights. Instead of just tearing it all down or leaving it as an eyesore on Lake Union, though, somebody at some point had decided to make a big public art project out of it. Some of the big buildings and machines still stood mostly untouched, getting overgrown by brush and vines in a way Max thought was hauntingly beautiful. Some of the other machinery had been painted in bright, bold colors and left almost like sculptures where they stood. To Max, who'd felt so lost and sullen at the time, it became a symbol of how beauty could be found anywhere, if only you took the time to draw it out. She wasn't sure she always believed that- some things just couldn't have an upside, no matter how much you spun them- but it was a nice idea.

Now she got to share this place with Chloe! It wasn't quite on par with the personal sanctuaries Chloe had brought her into, like her junkyard hideout or even just her room, but it was still a major landmark in Max's emotional map. As they came to the top of the big artificial mound that offered the best vantage point in the park, Chloe sure seemed like she was impressed with what she saw, which was a relief to Max.

"This is hella cool," Chloe remarked as they came to a stop, looking out over Lake Union at the Seattle skyline, "It's just really neat that somebody would think to make this into a park instead of just leveling the whole place, you know?" Max nodded and put an arm around Chloe's waist, nestling in close.

"I sure think so," she agreed, resting her head against Chloe's shoulder, "I feel like it's a cool use of the space, sort of recycling it and reclaiming it. That, and it creates some really cool photo backdrops without me needing to find my way out to some creepy old industrial site." Chloe chuckled and nuzzled her cheek against the top of Max's head.

"Yeah, that's a plus, too," the taller girl noted, rubbing Max's shoulder and sort of pivoting so they were looking over at the old gas works instead of the skyline, "This seems a lot safer than breaking into an abandoned factory, _Scooby Doo_ style." Her tone was light, but Max still felt Chloe holding her a little tighter. Really, Max found she was usually more worried about Chloe than herself, the harrowing experience of seeing her die over and over again in October still lurking in her mind, but it was still sweet that Chloe thought about her safety, too.

They walked down the winding path from the top of the mound, taking their time as their route leveled out and took them along the shore. They weren't alone in the park- there were a few other couples, a guy practicing tightrope walking, and a flock of geese- but it was still relatively quiet and peaceful, being the middle of the day on a Monday. Max stopped a few times to take photos, including a few with Chloe in them. Selfies were still her signature shot, but Chloe was rapidly becoming a prominent figure in a lot of her work.

"It says 'do not climb on structures,'" Max remarked as Chloe did just that. The blue haired girl just shrugged, grinned, and continued scaling the decommissioned machinery. Despite shaking her head and giving a token scoff, Max raised her camera to shoot some photos. After the first flash and click, Chloe began to pose for her, climbing around the painted old pipes between shots. She hopped and skipped between machines, leading Max across the pavilion that housed them. Once they came to the end of the building, Chloe ran across the path and scaled the first in a line of concrete arches, placing her hands on her hips as she stood on top of it.

"Do I look like a superhero?" Chloe asked after Max snapped a photo, shimmying down from the arch and settling back in beside Max, "I mean, like, one of the sort of antihero ones, obvs. Defending the streets of Seattle with my punk badassery and crap." Max smiled and took hold of Chloe's arm, leading her down along the path.

"Yes, definitely," she replied, "Expect an e-mail from Dark Horse or Vertigo any day now regarding likeness rights."

"Oh man, I'm not good enough for Marvel or DC?" Chloe whined, "What the hell?" Even as she put on a momentary show of sulking, she still laughed a little.

"I figure your sexy punk hero adventures would be too edgy and cool for either of them," Max noted, "Anyone based on you would be too radical for a company owned by Disney or the Looney Toons folks."

"Okay, I'm sold," Chloe conceded, "You know just how to push my buttons…" Max giggled a bit and pulled Chloe off the path and up into a sheltered grove of trees.

"It's not hard," she remarked, turning to face Chloe and pressing herself close, "I've had practice. Besides, you've got all kinds of really enticing buttons to push." Chloe snickered and put her arms around Max, holding her tight.

"Enticing, you say?" Chloe teased, flashing a cheeky grin, "I guess they must be. You _really_ like to push 'em, it seems like. Well, push, rub, lick…" Max cut Chloe off with a kiss, both to halt the teasing and also just because she wanted to.

"And kiss," Chloe added, grinning down at Max, "Can't forget kiss." Max rolled her eyes but smiled all the same, leaning up for another kiss before leading Chloe back to the path and out of the park.


	96. Gum

Chloe sat with Max on a big patch of grass just north of Pike Place Market, the smaller girl resting back against her. Even though it was just a Tuesday, the place still had plenty of foot traffic. Tourists, panhandlers, other students on break. The hustle and bustle of the place sort of faded into the background for Chloe as she sat there, though, and after a few minutes she had started to feel pretty peaceful, just draping her arms around Max and watching barges chug by out on Puget Sound.

Yesterday had been their big day for parks and outdoorsy sort of stuff. That gas works place had been probably the coolest of them, Chloe had decided, but Max had had plenty of other neat places to show off, too. The Fremont Troll had been fun to check out, even if it did feel practically like an obligation for a Seattle visit, and Chloe did have to admit the view from Kerry Park was fairly spectacular, even if Queen Anne Hill had been a bitch of a slope to climb on the way up.

Having gotten their workout from all the hills on Monday, Chloe and Max had agreed to take it sort of easy today and just sort of hit the museums. In the morning they'd headed downtown and hit the Seattle Art Museum first thing. After growing up in Oregon surrounded by "totem pole" tchotchkes, it was really neat to see the museum's collection of actual American Indian artifacts from the Pacific Northwest, Chloe had thought. The whole place was cool, of course, but that had been an especially interesting bit. For her part, Max had been a lot more eager to show off the museum's modern collection, but her adorable enthusiasm more than made up for Chloe's lack of interest in the works themselves.

After that they'd made their way up to the Seattle Center, where they'd hit a few more museums. The Chihuly Garden had been pretty cool looking, Chloe had thought, almost like something out of Star Trek. At her request they'd also hit up the Pacific Science Center, since she'd never actually _been_ to a science-y museum before, sad as that was. Max had hurried her past the Space Needle, though, insisting that it was just a tourist trap, and not really worth seeing, anyway.

A bus trip and a few blocks of walking later, Chloe and Max had wound up there on the grass at Pike Place Market, just relaxing. Chloe wasn't feeling like she was getting sensory overload, exactly, but taking a few minutes to just _not_ do anything had felt like a good idea. She was so used to her life moving slowly, she didn't want to get too jolted by constant action. Thinking about that gave her a bit of pause, like maybe she was just the yokel she'd always feared she'd be, but Max had assured her that she, too, liked to take a breather here and there, which had put her mind at ease. That, and the cuddling. Cuddling always helped.

"So, what's next on the agenda?" Chloe asked, nuzzling her cheek against the side of Max's head. Max cooed a little and stretched, sitting up and turning some so she could look at Chloe.

"Well, we've got a few options," she stated, "There's the aquarium pretty close by, if you're still up for reading plaques and seeing exhibits. For more 'local flair' sort of stuff, there's the Gum Wall not too far away."

"It's, um, a big wall where people from all over put gum they've chewed," Max explained, seeing the confused look on Chloe's face, "So it's kind of gross, but also kind of cool, in its own weird way." Chloe shrugged and nodded.

"I can sort of see that," she conceded, "Could be cool. Let's be sure to swing by so I can stick a piece of Nicorette to it."

"Well, it's a destination, if nothing else," Max replied, smiling and getting to her feet, "We can talk about other options on the way." Taking Max's hand, Chloe let herself be led along, mostly just enjoying the scenery. There were market stalls selling everything from flowers to T-shirts to fish shaped cutting boards, there were a pair of twentysomethings in hippie clothes and dreadlocks busking, and guys tossing around bigass fish towards the sort of central hub. The whole place felt busy and alive, and Chloe loved it. Maybe the novelty of cities would wear off in time, she thought, but for now she was excited by it all.

"There are underground tours, too," Max noted as they walked, "They're pretty cool. You walk around this sort of old undercity from the nineteenth century and learn weird trivia. It's a good time."

"Sounds a little spooky," Chloe teased, "Think you can handle it?"

"I've been on one _before_ , silly," Max countered, playfully nudging Chloe's shoulder, "Besides, the normal tour is just about history and fun facts. The one about ghosts only happens on weekends this time of year, I think."

"Well, if you're sure," Chloe said, still keeping her voice playful, "I'll still be right next to you, if it gets to be too much and you need to jump into someone's arms." Max snorted.

"Maybe you'll be the one who needs someone to hold her tight," she replied, "But don't worry. If you get scared, I'll stroke your hair and tell you it's alright." Chloe laughed a little to herself, squeezing Max's hand gently.

"It's probably safest for us to just keep each other close all the time, then," Chloe suggested, letting go of Max's hand only to put an arm around her shoulder, "You know, just as a precaution."

"Sounds good," Max agreed, sliding her arm around Chloe's waist and settling in as they walked, "Better safe than sorry."

After a bit more walking, they reached the gum wall. Sure enough, it really was just a big old brick wall covered in wads of used chewing gum. Chloe wasn't entirely sure what she'd been expecting, but a part of her had been convinced that such a thing couldn't be real. Nevertheless, there it was, in the sticky, unsanitary flesh.

"Well damn," Chloe remarked, surveying the expanse discarded gum, "People are weird."

"People are _totally_ weird," Max agreed, nodding, "Good luck finding anyone who isn't weird in some way or other, really." That was a fair point, Chloe had to concede.

"I guess I should make a deposit," Chloe said, digging around in her jacket pocket for her gum, "Just to make my mark on the world and shit." After a few seconds of searching, she took hold of the little tray of nicotine gum and examined it, popping a piece out from under the foil seal and starting to chew it.

"Has that been working?" Max asked as Chloe began to chew, "The gum, I mean. Has it been helping?" Chloe considered the question. When she'd been staying with Max in Seattle back in the fall, she'd been able to keep distracted and avoid smoking very much at all. Once they'd gotten back to Arcadia Bay, though, she'd found herself getting antsy during the days without Max, and she'd found herself instinctively reaching for her pack of cigarettes. Instinct aside, though, Chloe didn't actually _want_ to go back to smoking, so she'd tried to fix the problem with gum. For the most part, it had been working well enough. The nicotine addressed cravings, and the gum gave her mouth something to do.

"I think so," she replied, "Like, I don't know if it's really helping or if it's just all in my head- like, the placebo effect or whatever- but I haven't been smoking, so something's working." Max smiled.

"Glad to hear it," the brunette sighed, snuggling against Chloe, "I rest a lot easier knowing you're the little bit safer."

"Well, I mean, now that I've got a future to plan for, it seemed like a good idea to keep the habit kicked," Chloe pointed out, "Plus, I wanna smell nice and taste nice for you."

"You sure do that," Max assured, grinning up at Chloe, "No worries there." Giving Max a gentle squeeze before letting go, Chloe stepped over to the wall and added her little wad of gum to the thousands of others coating the brick below. Wiping her fingers off on her jeans, she rejoined Max, who quickly settled back in under Chloe's arm.

"If nothing else, this'll be my legacy in Seattle," Chloe joked as Max steered her towards the street, "A little gum in a sea of gum. Too bad there's still like half a dozen pieces left in the package. It would have been cool and symbolic and shit to leave my last piece of gum here."

"Do you think you could have?" Max asked as they turned back onto Pike Street, "I mean, do you feel like you'd be okay if you threw out the rest of the pack and had that _be_ the last piece you chewed?" Chloe thought for a second. It _had_ been months since she'd had a cigarette, and she didn't want to be chewing Nicorette forever. She'd have to stop some time, she figured.

"Only one way to find out, I guess," Chloe declared, fumbling around for the gum, "Wish me luck!" As they rounded the corner onto 1st Avenue, she tossed the foil package into a trash can.

"I believe in you," Max assured, nuzzling against Chloe's shoulder and pulling her to a halt, "And I'm proud of you." She turned to face Chloe, putting both arms against the taller girl's waist and looking up into her eyes.

"Thanks," Chloe murmured, "I figure it was time, anyway. It's a little scary, though." Her eyes twinkled. "Think you could stroke my hair and tell me it's alright?" Max giggled and nodded, reaching up to run a hand through Chloe's faded blue hair.

"Sure," the brunette whispered, standing on her tiptoes to press her lips to Chloe's, "Don't you worry about a thing."


	97. Important

After hitting landmarks on Monday and museums on Tuesday, there hadn't been as much of a theme for Max and Chloe's last day in town. To budget their time effectively, Max and Chloe had agreed that they'd take off from Seattle that evening so they didn't waste daylight hours on the road the next morning. That still left them with a whole day to fill, though, and Max had ultimately tried to sort of structure the day around walks with nice scenery. They'd spent the morning checking out the Japanese Garden and Washington Park Arboretum, before making their way up to the University of Washington campus. UWashington was on a quarter system, Max was pretty sure, so their spring break had already come and gone over a month earlier, and classes were in session.

All the same, she was happy to walk with Chloe around the campus. Like any major university, it had a lot of neat architecture to photograph, so Max had found herself exploring the place over the last few years, finding the best views and the most secluded nooks and crannies. The Rainier Vista was obviously a good sight to show off, but it was also nice to just sit for a few minutes by the little fountain in the business school courtyard, or to kiss in the little semi-hidden gardens that dotted the place. There was even an art museum on campus Max liked to visit, so she worked that into their informal tour of the campus, too.

In the afternoon they'd wandered around U-Vill some, but Max wasn't super excited about showing Chloe a normal mall, even if it was a pretty nice one. Hipster that she was, Max could take or leave the run-of-the-mill shops that filled the place. Seattle had plenty of independent shops she preferred to patronize when she had shopping to do, and Pike Place Market had quirk and kitsch, but malls of any stripe had never been too interesting to Max. Mostly they just checked out the green spaces, which she appreciated for their aesthetic value and how they worked in the commercial space, and then got a late lunch at the Ram. Once they'd finished eating, though, Max didn't waste much time leading Chloe back towards the footpath they'd followed off the UWashington campus.

"So, who was Burke Gilman?" Chloe asked as they walked along the shaded path, hand in hand, "And what do I gotta do to get a trail named after me?"

"Hm?" Max responded, turning to glance at Chloe for clarification.

"That's the name of the trail," the taller girl explained, "There was a sign a little ways back. Dude's got a whole foot and bike path named after him."

"Oh. Be a person of civic importance, I guess?" Max suggested, shrugging and smiling at the whimsy of the question, "And I think it's hyphenated. Like, there was a Burke, and there was a Gilman, and the trail is named after both of them."

"Well who are _they_ , then?" Chloe pressed, looking up at the greenery of the hillside they were walking along.

"Hell if I know," Max replied, "Probably some old dudes from the eighteen hundreds who did something sort of important, but not important enough to deserve a street." Chloe snickered.

"But I think there is a Gilman street and a Burke street someplace in the city, actually," Max went on, "So maybe they were important enough for streets, but not important enough for streets _and_ recreational trails, but also important enough for streets and half a trail each? Or maybe there was more than one Gilman and more than one Burke, and the less important ones get to share this trail because they weren't good enough for their own streets."

"Shit, this got real complex real fast," Chloe remarked, shaking her head and smiling, "Nevermind, I don't think I want to bother having a trail named for me after all." Max laughed a little at the absurdity of the conversation, leading Chloe by the hand at the fork.

"You left a bit of gum on the Gum Wall, so I figure you've already made your mark on the city's face," she joked, stepping off the path and back onto a sidewalk, "Besides, you're way more important than Burke _or_ Gilman. To me, anyway." Chloe scoffed but put an arm around Max's shoulders, leaning her head over to lightly touch Max's.

"Glad I make an impression," she laughed, "You matter a lot more to me than a couple of dead dudes, too." Max grinned and put her arm around Chloe's waist, settling into the familiar closeness. This was wonderful, she thought to herself. Just her and Chloe on a mild spring afternoon, going for a walk. They'd been on plenty of walks together before, of course, but that didn't make it any less nice.

After a couple of blocks, they crossed over into Ravenna Park, and it was back to winding trails and greenery. There were some kids over on the playground and a few seniors letting their dogs run around in the field nearby, but it was pretty quiet otherwise, which Max appreciated. She couldn't exactly expect to have the public park all to herself, of course, but she enjoyed the feeling of just being alone with Chloe in nature. As they passed the playground and fieldhouse and continued on the trail, fields gave way to woods, and trees closed in around the path.

The trail split at various places, but Max led Chloe along the way that would take them alongside the little creek that ran through the park. There was a sulfur spring a little ways up that was an interesting little landmark, at least as far as natural features in parks went. It was a destination, if nothing else.

"So, did you hang out here a lot in high school?" Chloe asked as they walked, reaching up her free hand to idly bat at tree branches as they passed.

"Not super often," Max replied, "But sometimes. It's far enough from home and my old school that I could walk around and just be nobody, if I wanted. Just me and the trees and stream and stuff, not having to worry about running into anyone I knew."

"That's sort of weird to me," Chloe admitted, "I mean, I guess I understand wanting to just get away from it all. But the way you phrase it, 'being nobody.' It's just not how I remember feeling in high school."

"I've never been the most social person," Max pointed out, "Coming to a new place for the end of middle school and then most of high school was overwhelming. I'd gotten used to the people in our age group back in Arcadia Bay, more or less, but Seattle was full of brand new people. In middle school I was 'the new girl,' and then in high school I was just my awkward self, tripping over my words a lot and sort of retreating into myself. It felt overwhelming a lot, especially the first few years, so I liked being able to just escape."

"Oh," Chloe mumbled, "Um, sorry that you were having such a rough time, too…" Max shook her head.

"It's alright," she replied, squeezing Chloe and nuzzling against her shoulder for a moment, "It was all just part of getting used to being me. I got good at being invisible when I wanted to be. I'm more comfortable that way, to be honest. When you're nobody, it's easier to get a candid look at people being their somebodies, if that makes any sense. Just being themselves without pretenses or defenses. It's a good skill for a photographer to have. Or, I like to think so, anyway."

"It sounds less sad when you put it like that," Chloe noted, turning to kiss Max on the top of her head, "But you're always gonna be somebody to me. Somebody important." Max smiled and blushed, snuggling a little closer as they came to the spring.

"Thanks," she murmured, turning to face Chloe and embracing her with both arms, "You're somebody important to me, too." Chloe grinned and rested her forehead against Max's, holding her close.

"That's all I've ever wanted to be," the taller girl breathed before pressing a soft, warm kiss to Max's lips. Max smiled against Chloe's lips and gave a contented sigh once the kiss ended, settling in against Chloe and just enjoying the moment.


	98. Possibility

The drive down to Portland had been pretty uneventful. Dinner had been some fast food at an exit somewhere like an hour and a half outside of Seattle, and they'd already booked their hotel in advance- nothing fancy, just the same Travelodge or whatever they'd stayed in on Friday night- which was convenient. Once the two of them were checked in, they'd just gone up to their room, turned on the TV, and snuggled for a while. Well, snuggled, then snuggled and kissed, then snuggled and made out, then fooled around some.

Night time at the hotel was a novel experience for Chloe. Granted, not the sleeping in a hotel part all on its own. She'd done that before, particularly in the last half a year. It was more that this particular hotel, unlike the backwater motels she and Max stayed in on the road, the Caulfield house in a quiet residential neighborhood, or especially her own house in sleepy Arcadia Bay, was in the middle of a city. It wasn't quite downtown, but there were still cars driving by regularly as it got late, both on the street and on I-405, which passed through Portland right by there. The result was a constant background of noise throughout the night, one Chloe could only sort of block out.

It wasn't like the noise kept her up all night or anything. Chloe had never been an especially light sleeper, so she managed to drift off without too much trouble. Still, the lights and sounds of the city stood out to Chloe, just like they had the Friday before when she and Max had slept in a room down the hall. Morning had found her feeling more or less well-rested, but she wondered whether sleeping in a city was something she could get used to in a matter of days, weeks, months, or years. If she and Max were going to end up in Portland or Seattle like she assumed, she figured she'd have to.

If that was the price of living in a place like Portland, though, it was one Chloe was willing to pay. On Thursday morning she and Max had set out from their hotel to grab some breakfast from Voodoo Doughnuts and then started to explore. In the morning they walked around downtown and stopped to watch and listen to a bunch of street performers. Arcadia Bay got the occasional busking backpacker, but Chloe was entertained at the sheer variety of artists and performers on offer in Portland.

For lunch they'd gotten some food from among the fleet of food trucks in an empty lot downtown, then took a streetcar or light rail train or whatever those things were called out to the zoo. Seeing animals besides squirrels, raccoons, and the occasional deer was a treat for Chloe, and she even enjoyed the little petting zoo area. Punk image to maintain or not, a baby bunny was a baby bunny, and she was going to hold it.

From there they checked out the big rose garden, although it seemed like the bushes weren't quite in-season yet. The weather was nice and the view was pretty, though, so Chloe and Max still had a good time walking between rows of rose bushes, holding hands and one-upping each other with overblown romantic declarations. If anywhere was the place for that, it was a world famous rose garden, after all.

"Well, I love you more than even a bajillion red roses could convey," Max stated after a long back and forth of cutesy pronouncements. Chloe smiled and held Max close.

"And I love you more than all the roses ever grown here, or that ever will grow here, could possibly express," she replied, stepping around so she faced Max, "Or, well, I guess that's less than a bajillion… Crap…" She felt slightly deflated, but still plenty happy with their little game.

"But it's a lot more evocative a statement than 'a bajillion,'" Max pointed out, draping her arms around Chloe's neck and pressing against her, "So I figure you're still coming out ahead here."

"I mean, the whole thing is pretty win-win," Chloe pointed out, brushing a few stray hairs out of Max's face, "Whoever gets the last word, we both get hella snuggles and cutesy affirmations and shit." Max giggled and stood on her tiptoes to press a kiss to Chloe's lips.

"Yes, there's really no bad outcome here," the shorter girl agreed, keeping her face close to Chloe's even after their kiss ended, "Within the realm of likely possibilities, anyway. I guess a meteor hitting us would be pretty bad."

"I guess we'd better scoot out of the way, then," Chloe remarked, lifting Max up off the ground and shuffling away from the spot where they'd been standing, "Just in case." Max snorted and giggled as Chloe carried her between the rose bushes, nestling in beside Chloe once she was finally set down.

"You're a goofball," she stated, "I love you." Chloe grinned and lightly rubbed Max's shoulder as they walked. Their next stop was the Portland Japanese Garden, which offered plenty of opportunity to just wander and enjoy the scenery. There were tourists wandering through, too, but not so many that Chloe and Max couldn't find a few secluded spots to make out in.

As the afternoon approached evening, they found their way back to the hotel. Before they'd set out for their little trip, Chloe had checked with Liv about whether or not they'd be in town at the same time, and she'd confirmed their paths might cross. After talking with Max, Chloe had made plans for the two of them to meet up with Liv, and maybe Lonnie and her wife, too, if they were available, for dinner. The last time they'd hung out with that crew had been pretty fun, Chloe had thought, so she was looking forward to getting a chance to see them all again.

They were supposed to meet downtown at six, which gave Chloe and Max some time to decompress in their room and get ready. Chloe hadn't gotten a definite answer on where they'd be doing dinner, but she knew they probably weren't headed out to an upscale French bistro or something, so she didn't worry too much about dressing right, and a text to Liv confirmed that T-shirts were indeed fine. It was just as well, because Chloe only had her Easter outfits around for anything sort of nice, and Max hadn't actually brought anything fancy.

"It's weird to have grownup friends," Max remarked as the two of them walked down the street, holding hands, "Like, I've got school friends and I've got my parents' friends, but now we've got adult friends that only we know, not through school or our families."

"'Adult friends' makes it sound like we're hooking up with them or something," Chloe noted, snickering to herself, "But yeah, I get what you're saying. I mean, I've picked up some older friends from hanging around Arcadia dives, but these are the first that are probably good influences or whatever."

"You should tell your mom," Max suggested, her voice teasing, "She'll be so excited about your friends the rocker, the bar owner, and- What does Sam do?" Chloe shrugged.

"I guess we'll have to ask when we see her," she replied, "But hey, Liv and Lonnie both seem to be doing pretty well for themselves. I could do a lot worse, and I figure Mom would agree. Plus, she might sort of huff at my rebellious 'tude, but it's not like she went to finishing school or anything."

"Now I'm trying to imagine Joyce all soft-spoken and shy at a debutante ball," Max said, giggling a little, "It's pretty surreal."

"Yeah. I'm not sure how she'd be able to live without telling somebody off," Chloe grumbled, "Oh! Look! There they are!" She pointed out where Liv, Lonnie, and Sam were standing, on the corner across from the one she and Max were approaching.

"You've arrived!" Liv cheered once Chloe and Max approached, "Now our circle of elements is complete!" Chloe raised her eyebrow, confused but interested in seeing where she was going with this.

"'Cause of our hair," Liv explained after a few seconds of silence, "It's all different colors, and they sort of- Like, there's fire," she pointed to Lonnie's pink hair, "earth," she pointed to Max, "ether for normal blonde," she pointed to Sam, "and wind for my platinum. You're water, obviously. Good thing you kept the blue, or else we'd be screwed."

"Ignore her, she's ridiculous," Sam instructed, grinning, "Anyway, it's so good to see you two!"

"Thanks, we're glad to see you all, too," Chloe replied, smiling and nodding to the three of them in turn, "And thanks for coming out to hang. I know you've probably got other shit you could be doing."

"Please," Lonnie scoffed, waving away the concern and starting to lead the group down the street, "Tonight's never too crazy at the bar, and I figure being the welcome committee for tiny gay punks is part of my responsibilities, at this point. Plus we like you, which helps." Rounding a corner, she led them to set of glass doors, opening one so they could file in.

"Hi, we're the de Soto party," she told the hostess once everyone was inside, and they were brought into the dining room and seated at a round table. The place had a sort of cool look to it, Chloe thought, with lots of dark hardwood and pillars reaching up to the high ceiling, . It had a real antique feel to it, like it was from an old movie or something.

"So, you two made it into town alright, I take it?" Sam asked once they were all settled.

"Yeah, pretty much," Chloe confirmed, nodding, "We got in last night, and wandered around a bunch today."

"We saw the zoo, the rose garden, and the Japanese garden," Max added, "So I guess today was just kind of tourist-y. But it's been fun!"

"Hey, Portland's got some neat tourist stuff," Lonnie replied, shrugging and smiling, "If you want we can point you in the direction of some of the more under the radar stuff, but those are all good destinations. I hung around the rose test garden plenty the first summer I spent here."

"Writing cringey poems," Sam added, grinning and nudging Lonnie playfully.

"Hey, you loved those poems!" Lonnie shot back, poking Sam in the ribs with her forefingers and laughing.

"Of course. I was a cringey teenager!" Sam replied, starting to poke Lonnie right back as they continued to tease each other.

"They might go on like that for a while," Liv remarked, snickering and turning to face Chloe and Max more directly, "Tell me more of what's been going on with you two."

"Well, I went ahead and did my GED," Chloe stated, "So that's a game changer. Sort of, anyway. Got to meet Max's family at Easter, too."

"Oh?" Liv pressed, raising an eyebrow, "How did that go?"

"Pretty well," Max told her, putting a fond arm around Chloe's shoulders, "My cousins got along with her, and there wasn't any drama, at least, so that was a relief."

"I'd call that a win," Liv replied, resting her elbows on the table and leaning forward as Lonnie and Sam went on play-bickering, "Family gatherings are a lot more tolerable without shouting, I've always thought."

"So how much longer do you have school after you get back, Max?" Sam asked after the waiter took their drink orders.

"Like a month and a half," Max reported, "Hardly feels worth going back."

"I remember that feeling pretty well," Sam replied, "Have you made any plans for what you'll be doing once you graduate?" Max shook her head.

"It's all kind of up in the air at this point," she mumbled, "I wasn't super sure of what I wanted to do to begin with, but then there was the storm, and school closed for months, and I didn't really settle on anything."

"Eh, just as well," Lonnie remarked, "I had my whole damn life planned out at twelve, and then right after high school I up and did a one-eighty. Point is, you don't have to have everything figured out right now, 'cause even if you did, no plan survives first contact with the enemy." That was true enough, Chloe figured. A year ago she never would have guessed what all was going to happen in her life- losing Rachel, reuniting with Max, nearly getting killed at least half a dozen times, and ultimately winding up in what looked like it was going to be a permanent relationship with her middle school crush- and she wouldn't have believed anyone who told her. Hopefully any future curveballs life threw at them would be less dramatic than kidnapping, murder, or life or death decisions, but the point held up in theory.

The night went on pretty well, with the five of them making comfortable conversation all through the meal. The topic of discussion pretty quickly wandered from Chloe and Max's immediate plans for the future, which was a relief since they didn't really have any. They did learn what Sam did for a living, though. She was a young adult fiction author, as it turned out, and a mildly successful one at that. True to her word, Lonnie wrote up a list of cool places for them to visit during their brief stay in Portland, and Chloe made a mental note to look them up that night before going to bed.

Once the check came, Chloe and Max both offered to pitch in for their share, but Liv, Lonnie, and Sam all shushed them simultaneously. Much as she wanted to avoid wearing out her welcome, Chloe was glad Lonnie insisted on treating. The place was casual enough that they could just walk in off the street, but still way more than she could easily afford to pay for. She resolved to return the favor one day, if she could.

"Thank you so much for dinner!" Chloe said once they were all back out on the street, "It was delicious!"

"You're very welcome," Lonnie replied, grinning, "I had to make sure you got at least one quality meal on your trip."

"Well, we really appreciate it," Max assured, "And it was so nice to see you all again!"

"Oh, of course!" Sam said, taking Lonnie's arm and settling in next to her, "We're always happy to take in strays. Not to say you two are really in dire straits or anything, but you get the idea. We've got your back here."

"Don't listen to her!" Liv insisted, feigning urgency and concern, "It's all a trap. They lure you in by being nice, and next thing you know they slap you in a band and you're doomed! Doooooomed!"

"I _told_ you she was ridiculous," Sam pointed out, laughing.

"'Mad inappropes' is how you described it when you first met me, I think," Liv noted, settling down from her shtick.

"Do you need a ride back to your hotel or anything?" Lonnie asked, "We didn't drive here, but we could call you a cab and give you fare, if you need." Chloe shook her head.

"Nah, we're good," she assured, "We can take a bus back, I'm pretty sure. Thanks, though!"

"Well then, I guess you're all set," Sam noted, "Remember to keep in touch, and let us know if you need a place to crash for a while once school's over and you're out of Arcadia Bay for good." They chatted for a few minutes more before saying their final goodbyes, Lonnie and Sam leaving arm in arm while Liv trudged along beside them. After taking a second to get her bearings, Chloe took Max by the hand and started walking towards the bus stop that would get them back to their hotel.

"Well, that's one day down in Portland," Max remarked as they walked, idly swinging her arm and smiling over at Chloe, "Having fun so far?"

"Definitely," Chloe replied, grinning, "And now we've got some leads on cool stuff to do tomorrow and Saturday."

"Yeah, that was nice of her," Max noted, alluding to the list Lonnie had given them, "It was really nice to see them again."

"Sorry they asked about our post-graduation plans," Chloe said, "I didn't mind. I'm used to being sort of aimless. But I figure you're probably tired of being asked about all that from Easter still." Max shrugged and squeezed Chloe's hand.

"It's fine," she replied, "I mean, that's a pretty reasonable thing to ask. And besides, they were real understanding about me not being sure about what I want to do next. My relatives were, too, but I feel more like Liv and Lonnie and Sam actually _get_ it more, y'know?"

"Yeah, I feel like they're a kind of judgment-free zone or whatever," Chloe agreed, "At least, judgment-free as far as we go. They'd probably judge the hell out of, like, Jerry Falwell or somebody."

"Well, it's nice to be accepted as we are," Max remarked as they came to a halt at the bus stop, "But I guess I _should_ start thinking about what comes next for me." Chloe released her hand and stepped behind her, wrapping both arms around her and holding her close.

"Fair enough," Chloe conceded, giving Max a gentle squeeze, "You can start now. What do you think you should do in the next, say, minute?" Max rested back against Chloe and nuzzled into her shoulder.

"Hmmm… Probably cuddle you," she declared.

"I can get behind that," Chloe replied, earning a laugh for her pun, "How about in the next half hour?"

"At some point in the next half hour, I plan to kiss you," Max stated, her voice relaxed, "I plan to kiss you on your face."

"And do you have any plans for the rest of the night?" Chloe asked, enjoying the warm weight of Max resting against her.

"You'll just have to wait and see, for that," Max replied, "It'll probably involve more cuddling and kissing, though. Maybe more stuff, too."

"Well, sounds like you've got what comes next pretty well planned out, then," Chloe noted, lightly rubbing her cheek against Max's head, "Nothing to worry about."

"I wish I was as sure of everything as I am of you," Max murmured, resting her hands over Chloe's, "It'd make life a lot simpler."

"I'm not sure life _can_ be simple," Chloe countered, keeping her voice soft and gentle as she went on nuzzling Max, "It's strange, it's full of infinite possibilities, but it's never simple, really. Just always complicated in all sorts of different ways."

"I don't need infinite possibilities," Max insisted, "Just possibilities that include you."

"Those are definitely the likeliest possibilities," Chloe whispered, squeezing Max again, "'Cause I'm never leaving you."

"Good," Max sighed, a lazy smile crossing her face, "Those are the only kind I want."


	99. Moment

"Did you know there were so many catacombs in the Pacific Northwest?" Chloe asked as she walked alongside Max, "I sure didn't."

"I figure every city probably has utility tunnels or whatever," Max remarked, lacing her fingers between Chloe's, "Like, for deliveries and maintenance and stuff." Chloe shrugged.

"I guess, but you don't really think of it all that much, you know?" she insisted, "I think of catacombs being in Rome, or Paris, or other old European cities that Tom Hanks might go digging around in. Not in Seattle or _Portland_."

"I think Paris's is sewers, not really catacombs," Max pointed out, "But I see what you're saying." One of the suggestions Lonnie had made on her list of local attractions was a look at Portland's Shanghai Tunnels- through Portland Walking Tours's "Beyond Bizarre" tour, she'd been sure to insist, _not_ the Cascade Geographic Society one- and so Max and Chloe had spent the afternoon with a tour group poking around musty nineteenth-century ruins.

Not that musty nineteenth-century ruins weren't cool, though. They hadn't been able to actually explore the tunnels, as it had turned out- sketchy kidnap tunnels were dangerous. Who knew?- but the boarded up entryways down in old cellars had still been fun to look at, especially with their guide talking up all the "paranormal phenomena" that had been detected in the tunnels. The tour had taken them through historic hotels and downtown buildings, too, all with wacky ghost-hunter equipment they'd been issued for the tour, but the tunnels had stood out to Max. And Chloe, it looked like.

"Why didn't they ever mention this sort of stuff in history class?" Chloe went on, "I'd have paid _way_ more attention in middle school state history units if our teachers had talked about haunted buildings and secret smuggler tunnels and shit."

"I mean, I took a class trip to the Seattle underground my freshman year of high school," Max noted, "Maybe Portland schoolkids get to learn about this stuff?"

"Well, not this _particular_ stuff," Chloe pointed out, smirking as she opened the door to Voodoo Doughnut for Max, "This was the extra-super-special, eighteen and up, too spooky for kiddliewinks ghost extravaganza."

"That might also explain why it wasn't covered in school," Max suggested, "I figure civics and social studies classes have a lot of stuff to cover, and so the historical gossip, tall tales, and 'ghost sightings,'" she made air quotes, "don't make the cut."

"Yeah, I guess that's fair," Chloe conceded, coming over to stand next to her and looking at the menu for a few seconds before stepping forward to order.

Checking her phone, Max saw that it was a little after midnight. Thank god for 24-hour doughnut shops, she thought to herself. They'd gotten dinner earlier, of course, but that had been hours ago. Besides, Max wasn't quite ready to head back to the hotel and call it a night. Turning in for the evening would involve snuggling up next to Chloe, a lot of kisses, and probably more, but it would also signal the functional end of their trip. Being out this late meant they would probably sleep in some in the morning, which meant they'd have less time before they _had_ to be on the way down to Arcadia Bay, and getting back to Arcadia Bay would mean classes and spending most of their time apart again.

It felt surreal to Max that she only had a month and a half- less, really- until she graduated from high school. After that, then what? For the first time she could remember, she wouldn't have classes starting up again in the fall. There was a certain abstract triumph and relief to being nearly done with high school, but stumbling into actual adulthood was pretty intimidating. She knew _something_ would work out, of course; Chloe had described Future-Max as very reassuring, if pretty vague. Still, the thought of working an actual, grownup job and supporting herself was daunting. Sort of exciting, but daunting. She'd been trying to remind herself that people had liked her work over in the timeline where she'd actually submitted any, which she took as a promising sign, but getting an "in" in the art world would probably be harder in the timeline she'd ended up with. Chloe was worth it, though. Whatever else, she never found herself doubting that.

"But really, though, Seattle _and_ Portland both have spooky old catacombs," Chloe said, returning to the subject once they'd left the store with their bag of doughnuts, "Too bad Arcadia Bay doesn't have any cool tunnels or haunted crypts or shit like that."

"I guess you could always check with the Arcadia Bay Historical Society," Max suggested as they started to drift over to the river, "There's probably not a sprawling network of secret tunnels or anything, but maybe there's a bootlegger hideout or two around town." Chloe shrugged and reached into the bag, handing Max a doughnut.

" _Maybe_ , but I don't know if boring-ass old Arcadia Bay could even have that," Chloe grumbled, "People talk about weird noises in the woods at night sometimes, but that's probably just kids huffing paint or whatever."

"It's cool to look at now, but I bet it wasn't so fun to have Shanghai Tunnels or whatever under here back when they were actually being used," Max pointed out before taking a bite of her pastry, "Maybe boring is best for Arcadia Bay." She thought back to Jefferson's studio under the old barn, and shivered a little. In a hundred years, would part-time tour guides be telling ghost stories about the creepy goings-on in the Dark Room? Maybe, but she hoped not. Honestly, she hoped the place would be filled in with cement and get left to be forgotten.

"Either way, I guess we won't have to put up with it for too much longer," Chloe noted, "I know we don't have anything set in stone yet, but I hadn't been planning in us sticking around town too long after you finish at Blackwell."

"Definitely," Max agreed. Compared to thoughts about the Dark Room, the previously daunting uncertain future became a welcome distraction. "Graduation will be on a Saturday, and I need to be out of my dorm room by noon on Monday. Unless Joyce is willing to let me move into your house, I figure we'll be leaving Arcadia Bay."

"We've got your house, right?" Chloe asked, shrugging, "And if that's not an option, Lonnie did say she could put us up for a while, so we've got that to fall back on."

"Yeah, my parents have said we're welcome at the house," Max confirmed, speaking around a mouthful of doughnut, "Like, not _forever_ , probably, but until we figure out something more solid. I'd rather not call in favors outside our families until we have to, you know?"

"Don't want to wear out our welcome," Chloe agreed, nodding and picking out a doughnut of her own from the bag, "And I don't know what the living situation here would be like, if it'd be a guest room or just a couch or something. We _know_ your house at least has a bed for us. And our own room. And our own bathroom. Good deal, I'd say."

"Well, it's definitely the cheapest housing we're likely to find," Max noted, "It'll give us some time to find work and start saving money and all that other grownup stuff…" She trailed off and Chloe draped an arm over her shoulder, pulling her close.

"We don't have to think about it too much right now," the taller girl said softly as they started to walk south along the river, "Just enjoy your last night of your last spring break." Max smiled and leaned against Chloe, resting against her shoulder.

"In high school, anyway," Chloe added, "I, uh, I know the jury's still out about college and stuff."

"I got it, though," Max sighed, nuzzling against Chloe as they walked, "Thanks."

They spent a little more time walking along the waterfront, huddled close against the cool evening air. That, and just because it felt nice. Max wasn't entirely comfortable, walking around this late at night, but she tried her best to just focus on feeling warm and safe under Chloe's arm. All the same, they didn't stop to sit by the river like they had last Friday, and before too long they were on their bus back to the hotel.

Once they were back in their room, they packed their bags for the morning. Granted, they didn't need to be up at the crack of dawn or anything, but Max liked having everything ready just the same. The next time she'd be packing, Max realized, it would be when she was getting ready to leave Blackwell for good, and she wasn't entirely sure how she felt about that. Definitely sort of relieved, of course. After all the stuff with Nathan and Jefferson and even just the Vortex Club and their drama, how could she not be? All the same, she figured she'd miss the fountain, the Tobanga, and her dorm room, at least a little. Or maybe that was just nerves, making her cling to the stuff that had become familiar in the face of uncertainty? Or maybe _that_ was just overthinking, and she could just allow herself some uncritical nostalgia. Whatever. Her mind would be off it soon enough, she knew as she snuggled up under the covers next to Chloe.

"Relax," Chloe murmured, pressing soft kisses to Max's face as she held her tight, "Whatever it is you're thinking about can wait 'til tomorrow." Max closed her eyes and cooed, trying her best to obey Chloe's command.

"Well, now I'm mostly just thinking about you," she replied, opening her eyes to look into Chloe's, "What with the snuggles and the smooches."

"Oh. Well, forget that last part, then," Chloe teased, grinning and stroking Max's hair, "I mean, I'll still be here tomorrow, too. And for the rest of your life." Max beamed, letting out a wistful sigh at the thought. "But still, you can keep on thinking about me right now, if that's what's on your mind. I'm not gonna stop you."

"Hmm, good," Max whispered, "At this point, I don't think I could stop thinking about you even if I wanted to."

"So you don't want to stop thinking about me, then?" Chloe confirmed, winking. Max shook her head.

"Nope," she assured, "You've convinced me. Tomorrow will be tomorrow, and it'll come when it comes. I'll live in this here moment with you while I wait."

"Well, hopefully we'll come first," Chloe replied, snickering. Max snorted and feigned shock.

"Always with the dirty jokes!" Max groaned, "Double entendres, puns…"

"I've got a couple knock-knock jokes in the works, too," Chloe added, grinning from ear to ear.

"And here I thought you were getting all grown up, being twenty and all," Max remarked, not able to keep herself from breaking back into a smile.

"Oh, I'm not gonna outgrow opportunistic dirty jokes for a while yet," Chloe assured, leaning in for an Eskimo kiss, "I'm young, and dumb, and giddily in love with you, and living in this moment means being around all that."

"Good," Max whispered, tilting her head just enough to press her lips to Chloe's, "Young, dumb, and giddily in love are spring break-y things, I'm told, and I've missed out on them through most of high school. I'd better make the most of this chance."

"Sounds good," Chloe replied, a twinkle in her eye, "I wouldn't want you to miss out. What do you want to start with?"

"Well, that 'giddily in love' part sounds right up our alley," Max remarked, "Let's try and focus on that."

"Gladly," Chloe breathed before kissing Max, longer and more eagerly than before. If every moment was like this one, Max thought, she'd have no trouble living in them. No trouble at all.


	100. One Merry Monday in May

"Did you see?" Max had texted at like four in the afternoon. It was a pretty cryptic text, but Chloe had the sense she'd know what Max had meant if she had "seen." All the same, she checked around her room for anything Max had left for to find from the weekend, just in case.

"See what?" Chloe had asked once she'd come up empty. It occurred to her that maybe Max had just accidentally messaged the wrong chat thread, and that Vanessa or Kate or somebody was confused and waiting for a reply, but it wasn't like Max made a habit of that sort of thing.

"Come here," Max had written back after a few minutes, "I'll tell you." Chloe's heart had skipped a beat at that. Had there been an accident at Blackwell? Or not an accident, but an incident or something?

"R u ok?" she'd texted immediately, heart racing and already pulling on her boots.

"Yes," was Max's immediate response, along with a smiley. At first Chloe was relieved that there was nothing to worry about, then she was annoyed by the emoji, and _then_ she realized Max had been pretty good about not using emojis in her texts. "Only for special occasions," she'd said way back in October, when they'd been trading fake vows. The quick little emotional journey ended with Chloe going back to being relieved as she pulled out of her driveway and left for Blackwell.

She wasn't sure what was up, but an invite from Max to come hang out was always appreciated. Like, Max had told her that she was always welcome to come over, but Chloe rarely actually _did_. Not that she didn't want to, of course, it was just that she still felt like she would be a distraction. The last thing Max needed was to get shitty grades or even not finish because Chloe was demanding too much attention. That was a worst-case scenario, of course, but Chloe tended to worry about that sort of thing.

It was especially fun to be seeing Max again so soon. They'd just spent the weekend together, after all, so this would make it a four day streak. As she drove, Chloe tried to avoid getting her hopes up too high. The revelation that some distant relative had died and left Max millions of dollars or something would be pretty great, but that seemed like a reach. It was a lot more likely that Max had just gotten a funny new T-shirt or a cute bracelet she wanted to show off. That would be fine, of course. Chloe welcomed any chance to hang out with Max, and it wasn't like she had other things she needed to be doing.

Max was waiting in the parking lot, and waved excitedly when Chloe pulled in. Sure enough, she seemed fine. She had a big grin going, and Chloe had seen her pacing a bit before noticing the truck. Before Chloe had even parked, Max was already running over, and she reached Chloe just as she was getting out of the cab.

"God, what has you so excited?" Chloe asked as Max pulled her into a tight hug. Smiling to herself, Chloe put her arms around Max and nuzzled her, enjoying the familiar warmth and weight. After a moment or two locked in that tight hug, Max looked up and pressed a kiss to Chloe's lips. There was passion to it, definitely, but also that cutesy playfulness that crept in when Max was just in a good mood regardless.

"It's- I'm just really happy to see you," Max stated, giddy smile still plastered to her face, "Are you busy? Can we go to the lighthouse for a bit?"

"C'mon, Max, I'm never busy," Chloe replied, laughing a little and running a hand through Max's hair, "Yeah, we can go wherever you want. But what's this about?" Max shook her head.

"I'll tell you when we get there," she promised, tightening her grip on Chloe again and nuzzling into the crook of her neck. After a few more seconds of hugging, she released Chloe and practically skipped around to the passenger side door and climbed into the truck. Shrugging and smiling, Chloe turned and got back into the driver's seat.

The drive over to the park felt surreal, at least to Chloe. _Something_ was up with Max, but Chloe couldn't figure out what. Something good, obviously, but that was about all she'd been able to deduce. They chatted on the way, but it was all just superficial small-talk-y stuff. How their days had been, how nice a day it was, that sort of thing. For all the banal talk, though, Max kept on grinning, and held Chloe's hand most of the way.

Once they'd reached the park, Max settled in next to Chloe as they climbed the hill to the lighthouse. The mid-May weather wasn't chilly, but Chloe was still more than happy to put an arm around Max and hold her close as they walked. Really, that was how they usually traveled, either with arms around each other or just holding hands, depending on the situation. Max was acting particularly cuddly this afternoon, though, which was nice. Whatever news she had was making her all kinds of cheerful and affectionate.

"Okay, we're at the lighthouse," Chloe noted once they'd reached the top of the slope, " _Now_ will you tell me what's up?" Max nodded and grinned, stepping around so she was facing Chloe.

"So, after class I checked Facebook, like normal," she explained, "And some people on my feed had been sharing news stories…" Chloe raised an eyebrow, curious where this was going.

"I don't really pay attention to politics much," Max went on, "But, um, there was a court case going on, and they just finished it." Now Chloe was really intrigued. It couldn't be the Jefferson case, could it? She had no idea where exactly that was in the process, but even if he had just been found guilty, Chloe couldn't imagine Max being quite this happy about it. Relieved, sure, but not _giddy_.

"The point is, darling, I can marry you now," she finished, beaming as she took both Chloe's hands in hers.

" _Now?_ " Chloe repeated, not yet processing what Max was saying.

"Well, I mean, not right this second," Max conceded, "But we have the option. In Oregon. The State Supreme Court says so."

"Oh," Chloe breathed, a smile spreading across her face, "Oh. Wow." Max had talked about the two of them getting married before, but it had always been in a way Chloe thought of as sort of abstract and cutesy. There'd been the little pseudo-wedding on the side of the road back in October, which Chloe had friggin' _loved_ , and Max had remarked a couple times that she assumed they'd be getting married _eventually_ , but still.

It wasn't that it made her love for Max any more real than it already was, of course. Not really. Whatever sort of hierarchy or life cycle of relationships that had dating, engaged, and married in ascending order of seriousness had never applied to Chloe and Max's relationship, at least in Chloe's mind. For one thing, Chloe had been head over heels in love with Max from more or less the beginning. The less romantic part of it was that Chloe had sort of gotten used to the idea that she _couldn't_ get married. Like, she could've in Canada if she'd really wanted, and California and Washington had both been options more recently, but it wasn't the same. On top of that she hadn't really thought she'd have anyone to marry even if she could. She'd been smitten for Rachel when Washington had made the switch, and that sure hadn't been leading to wedding bells.

Suddenly, though, she could be married if she wanted. Right where she was. Holy crap. She and Max would be able to introduce each other as "my wife" without adding qualifiers. Mom wouldn't be able to pull out that "couples don't get to share a bed in this house unless they're married" line anymore. Like, she _could_ , but it wouldn't mean "never" anymore. Chloe was vaguely aware of legal stuff about spouses, too, but that didn't mean too much to her at this point in her life. Mostly, she was just excited about the concept of being able to marry Max, and all the symbolism and social recognition and stuff that came along with that.

"Like, I'm sure there's a bunch of legalese and waiting periods and stuff," Max added hurriedly, "I- I don't really understand all of it, just that it's legal here now. And so I wanted to tell you." She went back to grinning. "And I wanted to tell you _here_ , because this is our spot, and so it felt right."

"Seems legit," Chloe agreed, nodding and squeezing Max's hands, "This is a good place for that sort of thing." They stood there for a moment, holding each other's hands, meeting gazes, and grinning like idiots.

"So, um, do you wanna?" Chloe asked, breaking the silence, "Get married, I mean?" Max shrugged and snorted a little.

"At some point, sure," she replied, letting go of Chloe's hands only to drape her arms around the taller girl's neck, "I always think of weddings as a grownup thing, not a high school thing."

"A bunch of the people from middle school are married now," Chloe pointed out, "But I guess they're all also kind of rednecks…"

"Yeah, I don't think either of us are 'drive to the church right after graduation,' sorts of girls," Max agreed, "Gotta figure out where we'll live, what we'll do for work, all that stuff first, probably. But it's more of a 'when' than an 'if' now, and that's pretty neat." Chloe couldn't help laughing a little at the understatement.

"'Pretty neat,'" she repeated, leaning down to bring her lips to Max's, "That's a term for it, sure." How did that old playground chant go? "K-I-S-S-I-N-G. First comes love, then comes marriage," right? They weren't "sitting in a tree," however that was supposed to work, but Chloe figured it was close enough.

"So, um, I know we already know we make it," Max remarked between kisses, eyes twinkling as her forehead rested against Chloe's, "But do you want a whole proposal thing? When it's time, I mean?"

"Only if I don't beat you to it," Chloe replied, flashing a grin before leaning in for another long, loving kiss.

"I'll do a placeholder one right now, then," Max declared, breathless and smiling. Stepping back from Chloe, she lowered herself onto one knee, taking Chloe's hand and beaming up at her.

"Chloe Price," she began, "Will you marry me, at a time and place yet to be determined?"

"Without a doubt!" Chloe answered, tears forming in the corners of her eyes despite Max's dorky phrasing. Or maybe because of it. Max was her dork, after all. Getting back to her feet, Max eagerly leapt into Chloe's arms for a passionate kiss and a tight embrace.

"Okay, now it's my turn," Chloe announced after a minute or two of hugging and making out. Maintaining eye-contact with Max as best she could, Chloe knelt.

"Max, never Maxine, Caulfield," she said, earning an affected groan and eye roll from Max, "Will you marry me, once we have all our shit together and stuff?" Max giggled and nodded vigorously.

"Yes," she replied, "Yes, I will!"

"Well, that's a relief," Chloe joked, standing up to pull Max close again, "Not sure what I'd have done if you'd said no."

"Considering I asked you first, I think a yes was implied," Max teased, shrugging and brushing her nose against Chloe's, "But it's just as well. I'd hate to make you all nervous." Before the game could go on, Chloe leaned in to kiss Max some more, enjoying the giddy whirl of emotion they were sharing. At some point they migrated over to the bench, where they kept on making out and snuggling for a while longer. Eventually they settled into a comfortable embrace, their kisses becoming softer and gentler as the sun descended over the ocean.

"So, I've got some stuff to work on for class tomorrow, but think you could stay over tonight?" Max asked, nuzzling into the crook of Chloe's neck.

"Totally," Chloe murmured, stroking her hair softly, "Seems right, given the circumstances. Think we should get going, then? So you can actually do your homework?" Max gave a reluctant sigh and sat up.

"Yeah, I guess so," she replied, getting to her feet, "It's not much, though. Shouldn't take long."

"No rush. I've got all night," Chloe assured, standing up and putting her arm around Max's shoulder, "I'll think of something to do for dinner while you work." Snuggled up close to one another, they started back down the hill.

"So, when do you think we'll finally have our shit together and stuff?" Max asked, affectionately nuzzling against Chloe's shoulder as they walked.

"I dunno," Chloe replied, "A time and place yet to be determined, I guess." Max laughed softly at the echoed words, and Chloe joined in. There was still a lot ahead of them, Chloe knew. Jobs, bills, housing, and all sorts of other adult stuff she sure as hell didn't have figured out yet. But just then, with a happy Max nestled under her arm and the news still ringing in her ears, Chloe's life felt perfect.

 **A/N: Happy 100th chapter everybody! Hope you've enjoyed reading this story so far, and that you keep enjoying it as it continues! (also, this chapter pushed the story over the 150K word mark, and the whole thing is 270 pages at default MS Word font and spacing so far, so lots of milestones all around!)**


	101. On the Beach

Tomorrow was coming too soon, in Max's opinion. She'd gone through her homework as fast as she could, and then she and Chloe had enjoyed a couple hours of cuddling and kissing, dividing their attention between Netflix and each other. Mostly each other, really. The Netflix was just for background noise.

Eventually, both their stomachs were grumbling, and they turned their focus to dinner. There was some token discussion, but they settled on the Two Whales pretty quickly, which was fine with Max. Just like Lighthouse Overlook Park, the Two Whales was a place that had become "theirs," at least as far as she was concerned. Considering the day's news, it seemed natural to wind up there.

Over the past few months, Max and Chloe had settled on a booth in the Two Whales that had sort of become "theirs." It wasn't the booth they'd met at the morning Max had showed Chloe her powers, of course. Whatever was left of that booth had long since been bulldozed away to a landfill someplace. But it was in roughly the position that one had been in, so far as Max could tell, and that was good enough.

As usual, both she and Chloe ordered breakfast food. The topsy-turvy fun of having breakfast for dinner had always tickled Max, and you could get it all day at the Two Whales. Plus, syrup and icing had made Chloe's kisses sweet. Well, sweet _er_. Sweet in a literal taste sense. Whatever.

"Of all the things in Arcadia Bay, this is probably one of the few I'll miss," Chloe remarked around a mouthful of French toast.

"I mean, they have breakfast in other places," Max noted, "And diners, and diners that serve breakfast all day, and diners that stay open all night."

"But they're not _this_ round the clock breakfast diner," Chloe insisted, swallowing and cutting a new piece, "Like, all the diners we've been to between here and Seattle were fine, but I feel like there's something special about the Two Whales." Max shrugged and smiled. She had to agree that the Two Whales made a good breakfast, but most of her love for the place was sentimental. Still, that was probably what made it seem so special to Chloe, too. Either way, there wasn't any reason to argue about it.

"So, what else do you think you'll miss?" Max asked, changing the subject.

"Stars," Chloe replied immediately, "That was something that jumped out at me in Seattle and Portland. Not nearly as many stars." Looking back, Max remembered noticing the same thing when her family had moved to Seattle.

"The ocean, too," Chloe went on, "At least, the open ocean being right there. Like, we're what, two hundred feet from the shore? If that? And then, bam! Nothing but water and empty air for six thousand miles or something!"

"It makes you feel pretty small to think about," Max remarked, "A sky full of stars and a planet that's covered mostly in water, and then there's little old us." Chloe shrugged and frowned.

"I guess," she conceded, "But I always thought of that as kind of a plus. When shit's going bad in my life, it's weirdly comforting to get that reminder that everything's so insignificant in the grand scheme of things. Not _super_ comforting, obviously, but sort of… I guess it made more sense when I was stoned." Max chuckled a little, and Chloe smiled.

"I can see what you're getting at, though," Max conceded, "But hopefully stuff won't get bad enough for you anymore that they need to be compared to the Pacific Ocean or the Milky Way to seem small."

"Things _have_ been looking up for the last several months, true," Chloe replied, grinning and bumping one of Max's feet under the table, "But the stars and the open ocean are still pretty."

"Oh, definitely," Max agreed, nodding and bumping Chloe's foot right back, "Pretty and romantic… We could go stargazing after dinner, if you want." Chloe raised her eyebrows.

"It's already nine thirty, though," Chloe noted, nevertheless breaking into another smile, "You've got classes in the morning. I don't want to keep you out too late or anything…"

"It's totally fine," Max insisted, dismissing the concerns with a wave of her hand, "I've stayed up late on a school night plenty of times. Multiple times with you, if you'll recall." At this point, Max felt a little like she was coasting in school, anyway. Classes were all going fine, as far as she could tell, and it felt unlikely that her grades would rise or fall dramatically with only a few weeks left. Besides, it was a special night.

"Well, if you're sure," Chloe said, her smile widening, "I guess you can come back and stop us if it turns out to be a terrible idea…" For all her stated concern, Max could tell Chloe really liked the idea. Still, Max appreciated it. Chloe had done a pretty good job of not demanding too much time and attention, and the restraint had been palpable. To be fair, most of the time Max would just as soon have been wrapped up in Chloe's arms, too, and not sitting in class or doing homework.

They didn't waste time finishing dinner, but they didn't hurry, either. The stars and the sea weren't going anywhere, after all. Once they'd paid their tab and left the diner, Chloe drove them to the beach by the lighthouse. Granted, there were miles of shore in Arcadia Bay, but the town's main drag ran along a good portion of it, and at least _feeling_ secluded was part of the fun of stargazing, in Max's opinion.

"I've got the blanket, so we don't have to actually sit _in_ the sand," Chloe noted, unfolding the blanket and laying it out on the beach.

"Won't sand just get all over the underside of the blanket, though?" Max asked, sitting down and snuggling up close once Chloe joined her.

"Yeah, but better there than on our clothes," Chloe replied, shrugging and putting an arm around Max, "It's just an old blanket that lives in my truck."

"Well, I do appreciate not having to worry about sand in my pockets and stuff," Max conceded, "Lets me just focus on you." Chloe squeezed her gently, and turned to press a kiss against her head.

"I mean, there's the stars to focus on, too," the blue haired girl pointed out, "Can't forget the stars. And the ocean, too."

"I really like _you_ , though," Max insisted, smiling as she leaned her head against Chloe's shoulder, "But the stars and the sea do make a nice addition." The last time they'd come to the beach to stargaze had been the day of her statement to the police, Max remembered. The circumstances were a lot better this time around, but the feeling of comfort she got from nestling into Chloe's arms and look at the stars was the same.

"This is really relaxing," Chloe remarked, running a hand through Max's hair, "The sand's molded to our bodies, and we've got ocean noises. People listen to ocean noises to relax, right?" At some point they'd wound up lying down on the blanket.

"That's what I hear," Max agreed, "I hope they're not _too_ effective, though. You're gonna need to drive us back to Blackwell."

"Are you sure you don't wanna just sleep out here on the beach?" Chloe asked, her lazy voice teasing as she continued to stroke Max's hair, "It's pretty mild out here, and we can snuggle together for warmth."

"I like to think of myself as reasonably outdoorsy, but I still prefer sleeping indoors," Max insisted, "But we can stay here and snuggle a while longer. You know, for warmth." Chloe snorted and kissed the top of Max's head.

"I seem to remember talking about spending the night on the beach," Chloe noted, "Like, it was part of how I'm a super cool naked pirate captain goddess, and there was a beach involved at some point in that discussion." Max laughed at the memory, and rolled onto her side to smile down at Chloe.

"The way I remember it, we'd agreed our trashy romance novel doubles would make love on a beach," she stated, tracing her fingers along Chloe's jaw, "And then the beach here in Arcadia Bay came up as stand-in for the Bahamas, and you said you wanted to 'profane' it." It had been a fun conversation, as Max recalled. Whimsical and playful in that way she loved, full of teasing and bantering as they got more and more affectionate. She wasn't sure she'd use the term "profane" to describe making love on a beach, of course. After all, sex with Chloe seemed beautiful to Max, bordering on the magical or sacred at times. Still, she'd more or less understood what Chloe had meant, she thought. They just used different words sometimes to talk about the same things.

"Good memory," Chloe remarked, smiling and leaning up for a kiss that Max gladly accepted, "Any thoughts on that? The whole 'profaning the beach' thing, that is." Max blushed and glanced up towards the parking lot, checking that they were alone. The thought of getting caught partially naked in public was mortifying. All the same, she was feeling romantic and affectionate and spontaneous tonight.

"I mean, we'll be packing up and leaving in less than a month," she pointed out, biting her lip and smiling as she met Chloe's gaze, "And who knows when we'll be coming back, and if it'll even be warm enough to just lie around here at night then?" Taking a second to just admire the way Chloe looked in the moonlight and starlight, Max leaned down for a long, loving kiss. A few seconds later, Chloe had wrapped her arms around Max and was holding her close. The fear of getting caught remained in the back of Max's mind as they made out and hands started to wander, but it faded more and more as time went on. Screw it, she thought. They were young, they were in love, and they were still giddy from the day's news. If not now, when _was_ the right time to make love on a beach and under the stars?

"You make a good point," Chloe remarked breathlessly in between kisses, "We should strike while the iron is hot, you know?"

"I don't know much about metalwork, but _you're_ pretty hot right now," Max replied, "I figure that's more relevant." She set about kissing the crook of Chloe's neck while the taller girl's fingers traced down her sides.

"It's a metaphorical iron," Chloe insisted, her voice playful as she slid a hand under Max's shirt and up her chest.

"But what's it a metaphor _for_?" Max teased, punctuating each word with a kiss on Chloe's neck or collarbone.

"I'll give you three guesses," Chloe whispered, gently tilting Max's face up towards hers for another long, heated kiss, and smiling against Max's lips.


	102. Boardwalk

Max groaned and slumped against Chloe, grumbling something unintelligible. It wasn't the most dramatic greeting she'd ever given- the ongoing fallout of the Nathan and Jefferson craziness and the marriage news from last week had provided some pretty exceptional lows and highs- but this still stood out from the usual Friday afternoon hug and kiss.

"Rough day at school?" Chloe asked, wrapping her arms around Max and giving her a light pat on the back. Max seemed exasperated and worn out when she'd walked over to meet Chloe in the parking lot, but not unsettled or _upset_ , really. It was hard to describe in any specific way, but Chloe felt like she could usually get a read on when Max was dealing with run of the mill life and school crap, and when she was struggling with something heavy.

"Finals start next week," Max stated, voice muffled as she buried her face in the crook of Chloe's neck, "It's this weekend, then Monday and Tuesday, and then three solid days of testing!"

"Well, yes," Chloe sighed, holding Max close and supporting her as she slumped, "At the end of the dungeon of school must come the raid boss of finals." That earned a snort and a giggle, which made Chloe smile with relief. She was pretty sure Max could handle a few tests, but she still didn't want the brunette to be stressed out. Laughing at Chloe's dumb jokes at least meant Max wasn't too wound up.

"So, do you need me to help you study or anything?" Chloe asked after a moment, "Or, I mean, I can just be scarce if you need, so you can focus." Max shook her head against Chloe.

"No!" she protested, looking up at Chloe, "It's almost finals week, and the dorms are about to become a friggin' _dungeon_! I have to get out of here. Enjoy my last taste of freedom, you know?" Chloe laughed and smiled, leaning in for a quick, fond kiss.

"Not sure my house constitutes 'freedom,'" Chloe replied, "With the sneaking around and shit." Max shrugged.

"It's a non-school space, though," she insisted, "Which puts it above this place." She released Chloe and started walking around the truck. "C'mon, let's go!" Shrugging and smiling, Chloe turned and got back into the cab.

"So, any thoughts on what you wanna do with these last few precious days?" Chloe asked, starting the engine and starting to pull out of the parking lot, "I mean, I'm always down for just chilling out in my room for the next forty eight hours, but we can do something more structured and plan-y if you want."

"It would be fun to get out and about before I'm crushed under the weight of papers and tests," Max admitted, "Any suggestions?"

"The boardwalk is mostly finished," Chloe noted, "On June first they started up the rides, so if you've been wanting to ride a Ferris wheel or a carousel, now's your chance."

"We might as well check that out," Max replied, shrugging and smiling as she settled into her seat, "I mean, it's this weekend or next, really. I figure we'll be gone in two weeks." Chloe smiled at the thought of that. As Max's graduation had approached Chloe had been sort of mellowing to Arcadia Bay, but she was still looking forward to leaving.

"And I bet there's gonna be all sorts of end of Senior year crap going down next weekend, anyway," Chloe pointed out.

"Nothing formal, but yeah," Max agreed, "And then grades will be coming back, and then my parents will get here, and then I'll graduate. Hopefully."

"Max, you're _going_ to graduate," Chloe insisted, reaching out a hand to give Max's shoulder a reassuring squeeze, "Come on, you've got nothing to worry about."

"I know," Max sighed, "But I still can't help but worry and get worked up and stuff."

"All the more reason to totally relax and have fun this weekend, then," Chloe replied, "So you can go into finals week completely chill."

"Well, that's the hope," Max agreed, "Some snuggles will probably be called for, too."

They chatted some more as they drove, but it didn't take long to get to the boardwalk. It would probably get more packed as the evening went on, Chloe assumed- It was Friday, after all- but just then it wasn't too crowded. Then again, they _were_ just in Arcadia Bay, so it was possible the place never got too many visitors. With the luxury condos she'd noticed going up that might be changing soon, but for now it was still just a washed up fishing town. Not glamorous, but at least it kept the cost of living down for the moment, she thought.

"So, where to first?" Chloe asked as she and Max stepped onto the boardwalk, hand in hand.

"I'm not sure," Max admitted, shrugging and looking around, "We've only ever been to the arcade, so that's all I know. We could walk around the whole thing once just to scope it out, then make plans from there."

"Works for me," Chloe replied, leading Max along the row of shops and stalls, "I've killed a bit of time here now and then, but I haven't really given it a close look. Should be fun!" Max fell in next to her as they walked, remarking on the booths they passed and making conversation.

A lot of the stalls just sold random tourist stuff, it turned out. Mugs, magnets, and other memorabilia that all had "Arcadia Bay" stamped on them, plus the standard array of gum, candy, and soda. Places like that weren't the most exciting things, but Chloe could understand why they were there. Tourism had never been the town's biggest strength, but it _was_ right on the ocean, and it _did_ have some nice views. Especially if the town council or the Prescotts or whoever it was that called the shots wanted to make the town more of a destination, peddling souvenirs was probably decent seasonal work.

There were some more interesting booths in among the gift shops, though. A couple sold allegedly handmade jewelry, and there was one with a guy doing some impressive spray-paint posters of planets. One stall advertised "native crafts," which Chloe was skeptical of at first but which turned out to stock art made by actual American Indian artists. It would take more than a few unique businesses for Chloe to suddenly fall in love with Arcadia Bay, but she still found herself feeling glad that the place wasn't just calcifying into a generic vacation town. At the very least, she liked that there'd be stuff worth seeing when she came back for the occasional holiday.

At the end of the pier were a few amusement rides. Nothing fancy, of course, just a merry-go-round, a teacup ride, and a small Ferris wheel. All the same, they were up and running, and there weren't any lines. Taking a moment to survey the area, Chloe had to admit that maybe this hadn't been as exciting and fun an idea as she initially thought, but Max didn't seem particularly disappointed. She was originally _from_ Arcadia Bay, after all, so she probably knew what to expect from it by now.

"So yeah, here's the rides," Chloe stated, sweeping her hand across the area, "We don't need to actually do any, if you don't want. We can just walk down the other side of the pier and see if it has any different shops. Or there was that snowcone place we passed on our way here."

"Let's do the carousel," Max suggested, "Finals are making me feel nauseous enough without the teacups ride, and I figure the wheel would just put us high up for a bit, and we've got the lighthouse hill for that." It was sound enough reasoning for Chloe, and she followed Max to the carousel. After paying the uninterested attendant three dollars each, they climbed up onto the platform and started picking their mounts.

"Okay, look like you're actually riding a galloping horse," Max instructed as Chloe perched atop a plastic pony. Chloe had long since gotten used to just going with it when Max posed her for pictures, so she leaned forward and pretended to cling to what passed for reins. A flash and a click alerted her that the picture was taken, but she stayed put in case Max wanted another.

"Now act like you're crying," the brunette said, "Like you were a little kid having a meltdown from sensory overload or something." Doing her best to comply, Chloe screwed up her face and slumped her shoulders.

"Ooh, come here and sit on my horse and take a selfie of us," Chloe suggested once the second picture was taken. Smiling, Max hopped down from her own seat and climbed up in front of Chloe, holding the camera up in front of them. Doing her best to maintain balance on the fake horse, Chloe put her arms around Max's waist and leaned in. The camera snapped and flashed, and Max waved the photo as it developed.

Chloe still didn't have a keen eye for photo composition or anything, but she was happy with how this one looked. Her face was smooshed next to Max's, both of them grinning at the camera, and the way she was holding Max close came across. Like a lot of the photos they took when they were just goofing off, it wasn't likely to get much critical notice, but Chloe still loved it.

When the carousel slowed to a stop, Chloe and Max got down from their seats and shuffled off the platform. Chloe had had a good time, and Max seemed to have enjoyed herself as well, but the whimsical fun of riding a merry-go-round wasn't really worth another six dollars, they'd agreed. Instead, they just wandered on down the other side of the boardwalk pier. The stalls and shops along that side were more or less at the same level as their counterparts, but it was fun just to browse regardless.

"So yeah, that's the boardwalk," Chloe stated once they came back to where planks met pavement, "It's… Well, it's about what you'd expect an Arcadia Bay boardwalk to be like."

"Yeah," Max agreed, shrugging, "It was fun to see it, though. And we got to ride horses, so we've got that going for us."

"And for so much less than actually going on one of those trail rides!" Chloe joked, "We didn't need to wear helmets or anything, either."

"Good thing, too," Max added, "I can't imagine helmets are very punk rock."

"Eh, neither is paralysis or severe brain damage," Chloe countered, immediately regretting it when she saw Max's face fall. Max still didn't like going into much detail about her jaunts into other timelines, but Chloe had managed to pick up that she ended up in a wheelchair in at least one iteration.

"Um, sorry," she mumbled a moment later, glancing away. Max sighed and stepped around to face Chloe, pulling her into a hug. They stood there silently for a minute or so, with Max just holding Chloe in a tight embrace, face buried in her shoulder.

"It's okay," Max mumbled once she'd had her moment, looking up at Chloe and taking a deep breath, "Just- Just be careful with yourself, please. For me."

"I promise," Chloe murmured, resting her forehead against Max's, "If you need, I will coat myself in bubble-wrap." Just like she'd hoped, Max snorted and giggled a bit.

"I don't think it'll come to that," Max replied, a smile starting to spread on her face, "But I appreciate the thought." Standing up on her toes a bit, Max stole a quick kiss before letting go of Chloe and stepping back.

"Think that snowcone stand we passed would be safe enough?" Chloe asked, trying her best to be playful but not teasing.

"Yeah, that'd probably be alright," Max declared after pretending to think for a moment, "Just so long as you stay close so I can keep an eye on you." She latched onto one of Chloe's arms and nuzzled her shoulder.

"Oh, I'll make a point of it," Chloe assured, smiling and leading Max back toward the snack booth, "Hell, I'll stick right by you all weekend, just for peace of mind. I wouldn't want to stress you out before finals and all"

"That _is_ a relief," Max replied, squeezing Chloe's arm gently, "You're such a sweetheart."


	103. One More Week

After their excursion around the boardwalk, Max and Chloe had stopped in at the arcade one last time. Granted, they could easily come back again at _some_ point in the future. After all, it seemed like Joyce was planning to stay in Arcadia Bay, so Max assumed she and Chloe would be coming back for some holidays. For all Chloe grumbled about the town, Max had just assumed they'd still be visiting Joyce occasionally, but they really hadn't talked much about the division of holidays and stuff like that. Maybe it was just better to address that sort of thing as it arose.

Regardless, this had looked like it was probably going to be their last trip to the arcade while they actually lived in town, so they'd gone out to Chloe's truck to bring in the grocery bag of tickets they'd been amassing over the last few months. Combined with the stack they managed to win that afternoon, they had enough to buy prizes that were actually worth having. The whole "packing up our lives and moving in like two weeks" thing made Max reluctant to get anything, though, since that would just mean more stuff to haul to Seattle.

Ultimately, Max and Chloe agreed on buying the biggest stuffed animal they could afford with their tickets, just as a trophy. Chloe insisted they could just leave it in her room when they left, or they could bring it with them if Max wanted. Max had to admit she liked the idea of having an enormous teddy bear just kind of sitting around in her bedroom back home, but she wasn't sure about the logistics of transporting a stuffed animal about as big as she was two hundred and fifty miles in the bed of a pickup truck. It was easy enough to get back to the Price house, though.

The rest of their weekend together was pretty laid back. With finals looming, all Max wanted to do was snuggle up with Chloe, put on some Netflix or even just TV in the background, and let her mind go blank. Well, that and make love. That didn't make her mind go blank as much as push everything out but Chloe and the moment they were sharing. Having to get up early in the mornings to sneak back downstairs was less relaxing, but Max tried her best to comfort herself with the knowledge that this was possibly the last weekend she'd ever have to do it. Next weekend they'd be in her room at Blackwell, and the weekend after that they'd be in Seattle!

"What time is it?" Max wondered aloud. She was sitting back against Chloe's chest, the taller girl's arms draped around her as they talked. The conversation had been drifting back and forth between cutesy flirtation and actual discussion for something like an hour. They had music going in the background, but Max had mostly been focusing on the feeling of Chloe wrapped around her and the sound of her voice.

"Getting close to six," Chloe reported, checking her phone, "I guess it's getting to be about that time." Max groaned and lifted a hand, pushing herself back a few minutes. This time she didn't ask the question, just letting their evening together carry on uninterrupted.

"It's like six thirty," Chloe noted eventually, "Should I take you back to Blackwell?" Again, Max rewound.

"It's like six thirty," Chloe said again once Max got back to that point in time. She lifted her hand and rewound.

"It's like six thirty." Rewind.

"It's like six-" Rewind.

"It's-" Rewind.

"Dammit, Max," Chloe sighed after several cycles, her voice soft even with the harsh words, "Don't strain yourself." Max frowned, and she shook her head.

"I'm fine," she mumbled, "I don't know what you're talking about. We've been relaxing here for like-"

"I can tell when you've been rewinding," Chloe stated, cutting her off, "Even before you get super pale and woozy, I can tell."

"Since when?" Max asked, a hint of irritation creeping into her voice. True, she _had_ been rewinding, and yes, this _was_ usually the time Chloe brought her back to Blackwell, but she didn't want to go yet.

"Since a while now," Chloe replied, sitting up a little, "You'll move suddenly, but without actually moving, or you'll sort of carry yourself different for a second, or you'll look like you're concentrating really hard for an instant. It's hard to explain exactly, but I've started to pick up on it."

"I guess that's not so surprising," Max conceded, sitting up as well and stretching, "I just really don't want this weekend to end."

"I get that," Chloe sighed, "But you can't keep rewinding forever, and starting your last week of school with a migraine probably isn't the best idea."

"You're probably right," Max grumbled throwing her legs over the side of the bed and standing, "I can only delay the inevitable for so long, right? Better to just face it…" She was being a little dramatic, she had to admit. Sitting for hours of tests wasn't her idea of a fun week, but they were tests on all the things she'd been learning over the past few months, stuff she'd been taking notes on and getting quizzed on. It wouldn't be the highlight of her time at Blackwell, but she'd make it through.

"I mean, I don't have the best track record dealing with problems in a constructive way, so it's not like my opinion carries a whole lot of weight," Chloe conceded, getting to her feet as well, "But yeah, finals will only be over once you've lived through 'em."

"That's a little too zen for me," Max noted, smiling a little, "Can't I just keep whining about them instead? I like that idea a lot better." It was very possible that these were the last final exams she'd ever get to dread, Max knew. May as well have some fun milking that dread, even if it was being played up.

"I guess it depends on how badly you want to graduate high school," Chloe replied, chuckling, "I'll be honest, though: The charm of dropout-ness wears off real fast."

"How about you come and live in my room for the week?" Max suggested, mostly joking, "They say a good night's sleep is important before a test, and I sleep best when I'm snuggled up with you." Chloe snorted and grinned, the look on her face saying "Touché."

"But on the other hand, we tend to stay up later when we're together," the blue haired girl countered, "I think I _might_ be more of a distraction than an asset." That was true enough. Nights with Chloe had a way of going on and on, which Max loved, but which she also had to admit probably wasn't ideal for this situation.

"But what if I need Chloe cuddles, though?" Max pressed, enjoying their little game, "Those can be pretty crucial." She affected a pouty face for a moment before breaking back into a smile.

"Hold on," Chloe said, walking over to her laundry pile and picking a few pieces of clothing out of it. Max remained silent as she watched, intrigued enough to wait and see where Chloe was going with this. Clothes in hand, Chloe went over to the big teddy bear they'd won at the arcade and started to dress it.

"Okay, now you can take teddy bear me with you and snuggle it," Chloe declared, grinning and picking up the bear to bring it to Max, "It's all dressed up like me, and it should smell like me, too. If you still have the hat I gave you, you can put that on it, too! This way you'll sort of have a Chloe to cuddle, but one that won't keep you up talking and banging all night." Max would have still preferred to share her bed with the real Chloe all week, but she had to admit this felt like the next best thing. Or, the next best thing they could put together on a moment's notice from stuff they already had lying around.

"Alright, done and done," Max said, shrugging and taking the bear, "Sorry I don't have a proxy-Max to give you, though…"

"Eh, I'm not the one about to go into finals week," Chloe replied, dismissing the concern with a wave, "Besides, I've already got your sweatshirt for when I want to make a pillow-Max, so it's cool." Max gathered up her stuff, and they headed downstairs. She wasn't sure how well this idea would actually play out in practice, but it was cute and novel enough that she was willing to go along with it. Whether or not it worked, Chloe had definitely won their little back and forth.

The drive to Blackwell was a little tricky with a big stuffed animal in the cab of the truck. That afternoon they'd brought it to the house in the bed of the truck, but they agreed that might not be the best plan with the new, clothed version. It had started to drizzle, for one thing, and they didn't want it to fall off the truck and onto the road. Granted, that hadn't happened earlier, but the bear felt a lot more precious now that it was a Chloe-bear.

"But really, are you _sure_ you don't want to stay in my room all week?" Max asked as they sat in the Blackwell parking lot. Chloe chuckled a little.

"Oh, I totally _want_ to," Chloe replied, "It's just that I don't think it would actually be in your best interest. I'm all grown up and responsible now, remember?" Max affected a groan and slumped, recovering after a few seconds and shrugging.

"I figured I'd give it one last try," she explained, opening her door and climbing down out of the truck. Chloe hopped out from her own side and jogged around to Max, pulling her into a tight hug. In return, Max nuzzled into the crook of Chloe's neck and put her arms around the taller girl, sinking into the embrace and enjoying the moment. After a minute or so of just holding each other tight, Chloe tilted Max's face up towards hers and leaned in for a long, tender kiss.

"You just have to hold out for a week," Chloe whispered, the words warm against Max's face as she spoke them, "And then you can have as many of those as you want." Max smiled and stood on her tiptoes, pressing another kiss to Chloe's lips before releasing her and stepping back.

"In the meantime, don't forget my cuddly stuffed counterpart," Chloe went on, smiling and pulling the teddy bear out of the truck and handing it to Max, "You'll have to tell me how I compare, once the week is over." Max giggled.

"I can't imagine it'll be much of a contest, but I'll be sure to report back," she assured.

"But being serious for a second, don't be afraid to call me if things actually do get bad," Chloe added, shutting the passenger side door, "I hope they won't, but I _am_ still here for you, if you need me."

"I know," Max replied, "Thank you, darling." Chloe smiled and nodded.

"Good luck on your tests and shit," she said, turning back to face Max for a moment, "I love you, Max, and I know you can make it through this just fine!" Max rushed forward for one last kiss before Chloe left.

"I love you, too," Max whispered. They stood there for a few seconds, just looking at each other, before saying a few last goodbyes and going their separate ways.

The walk from the parking lot to the dorms was a weird time for Max, at least in the context of saying goodbye to Chloe at the end of a weekend. Typically, it was the first time in over forty eight hours that she was alone. Not just downstairs or down the hall from Chloe, but actually _alone_. In general, Max enjoyed some time on her own, but time with Chloe rarely felt like a drain the way that being social with other people did. Sure, on their weekends together they spent most of their time doing couple-y things, whether that was going out together or just sitting around cuddling, but in their months in Seattle they'd spent plenty of time just doing their own things in general proximity to one another, and that had felt nice. Still, there was enough novelty to solitude that she could focus on that rather than how she already missed Chloe.

The rest of the evening went by pretty normally for Max. She dropped off her stuff in her room, then browsed the internet a bit, checking up on her YouTube and Tumblr feeds. After that Max went and hung out with some people in the TV lounge, mainly Kate and Stella with Dana, Juliet, Brooke, and Taylor cycling through at various points. Eventually the group split up for the night, and Max took that as the signal to go through her pre-bed routine.

Once she was in bed, Max rested her head on the Chloe-bear, trying to pretend it was the real thing. That was a pretty hopeless endeavor, but at least it felt a _little_ like snuggling up next to Chloe. More so than just clutching a beanie, anyway. In just a week, she thought, she wouldn't have to worry about that anymore. Until then, this would just have to do.


	104. Moving On

It felt weird to pack. Chloe had packed a couple bags for her stay in Seattle, of course, but she'd packed those on the fly, just tossing whatever clothes were handy into the duffels. This time around was different, though. This time she didn't know when she'd be coming back. At some point, obviously- It wasn't like she was disowning her mother and running away- but she was still packing up with the intention of living someplace else. Suddenly she was taking stock of her life, trying to figure out what she needed, what she wanted, and what she could throw out.

Sorting through the practical stuff was easy. It was mostly crap, after all, and she was pretty certain she wasn't going to be taking her shitty old stereo or CRT television anywhere. She wanted to hold onto her stacks of CDs and cassettes, but she figured those could just get boxed up. Once she and Max were settled someplace, she could ask Mom to ship them, if she wanted, or she could pick them up some time when she was visiting. That applied double to a lot of her clothes, and she ended up dropping a few bags of old shirts and jeans off at the Salvation Army.

Sentimental things were another story. Chloe already had a shoebox full of "Max stuff" from when they were little, on top of a growing collection of treasures and mementos from their relationship, and there was no way she was getting rid of any of it. There were also a lot of keepsakes from Dad that she'd held onto, and she wasn't about to throw those out.

The real challenge was all the crap she'd kept from Rachel. For better or worse, Rachel had been a pretty central part of Chloe's life for a few years. Hell, she had arguably been _the_ central part of Chloe's life. No matter how rough things had gotten towards the end, with Rachel getting distant and Chloe getting all the more clingy in response, they'd been close.

As best as she could, Chloe had gone through all the pictures, notes, and knick-knacks she'd gotten from Rachel over their time together. Some of the pictures seemed like they were worth holding onto, there'd been a few gifts Rachel had given her at various points that Chloe wanted to keep. A lot of the things Chloe had kept were actually just random crap Rachel had forgotten or abandoned in her room: Cast off earrings, half-used tubes of lip gloss, and other little sundries that Chloe had made into relics in a more fraught time.

Chloe didn't want to keep them in the box she was putting all her other sentimental stuff in, but she couldn't bring herself to just throw it all in the trash, either. Sure, it was junk, and not even junk that Rachel had meant to leave her, but it had all been Rachel's just the same. That meant a lot less now than it had at the start of October, but what Rachel had been to Chloe, and what they'd had together, whatever it had been… All that still felt like it was worth some reverence. To Chloe, anyway.

If she couldn't throw it all away but she wouldn't keep it, either, it didn't take Chloe long to figure out what she was going to do with Rachel's crap. Gathering all the loose bits and pieces that Rachel had left in her room over the last few years into an old shoebox, Chloe went downstairs and grabbed a few things from the garage. A couple minutes later, she was on the road.

It felt surreal to be back in the junkyard after so long. The place had been pretty poisoned for Chloe, but after three months away in Seattle and things calmed down a lot at home and in town, she hadn't really felt the need for a refuge, anyway. Like, she still spent a lot of time shut up in her room, and she took occasional trips to the lighthouse to think or unwind when she needed, but things had never gotten so rough that she needed the sort of home away from home that the junkyard had been.

Taking care to avert her eyes from the spot where they'd found Rachel, Chloe hurried to the cinderblock building that had been their clubhouse. People had clearly been in there since the last time Chloe had visited, which made sense. The place made for a pretty good clubhouse, and if she wasn't using it someone else might as well. Her and Rachel's graffiti was still on the walls, though, and she couldn't quite decide whether that made her happy or bummed.

Crouching in the middle of the dirt floor, Chloe began to dig with the trowel she'd brought from home. Chloe set the shoebox of Rachel's stuff in the hole once it was deep and wide enough, but paused before heaping dirt back in. Taking a few deep breaths, she leaned down.

"Goodbye, Rachel," Chloe murmured, blinking a few times to clear the tears from her eyes, "Sorry. About everything." For a moment Chloe felt like she should say something more, but she wasn't sure what. That she loved her? That wasn't really true anymore. She _had_ loved Rachel, but it hadn't been love Rachel had wanted. That she missed her? That was true, at least, but looking back Chloe got the feeling she'd "lost" Rachel even before she'd gone missing. "Sorry" seemed best, pulling double duty as both an apology for how she'd acted, trying to push Rachel into being something she didn't want, and as a condolence for what had happened at the end. When all was said and done, it was the most Chloe had to offer.

She hadn't been keeping track, but Chloe assumed Rachel's funeral had happened at some point while she'd been with Max in Seattle. Whenever it happened, she hadn't been there. In a way, it felt better to be saying goodbye like this and not to a casket in a funeral home, church, or graveyard. Rachel had a way of being one person alone with Chloe, and another with everyone else, it had felt like. Any funeral would definitely have been for the public Rachel, not the one Chloe had loved. At this point, Chloe wasn't entirely sure which Rachel had been the "real" Rachel. Maybe both were. That wasn't so hard to believe, right? Regardless, this box of trinkets represented Chloe's Rachel, not whatever variation anyone else had known.

Sitting back up, Chloe heaved a sigh and just sat for a second. It wasn't like Rachel was any more or less dead now that she'd actually said the word "goodbye" and put a box in the ground. Still, there was a certain finality and closure to the informal ritual. That was probably why people did funerals in the first place, Chloe figured. Dead people sure didn't get anything out of it.

Having done what she came there to do, Chloe hastily shoveled the mound back into the hole and scattered the displaced dirt around the floor. Once she was satisfied that she'd covered her tracks well enough that nobody would dig the box up, she stood and dusted herself off. Ducking out of the cinderblock shed, Chloe made a beeline for her truck and got the hell out of there. Just like she couldn't wait to put some distance between herself and Arcadia Bay in general, she really wanted to put some distance between herself and anything having to do with Rachel just then.

Once she was home again, Chloe went on packing, turning her attention to boxing up more mundane stuff. She'd sorted most of her things before going through sentimental shit, so all she really had left to do was actually label and tape up the boxes, then stack them in the corner. By the time she was done, the room felt pretty empty, but she was happy with that.

It had been Chloe's room all her life, granted, but it was her room in _Arcadia Bay_. It was the room she'd sobbed in after Dad had died. It was where she had moped about Max being gone. It was the room she'd stormed into after screaming herself hoarse at David again and again. It was where she'd first told Rachel how she felt, and it was where she'd sulked after Rachel had started pushing her away. There'd been some good times in that room, too, especially recently, but Chloe was still looking forward to putting it behind her. She could go find a new room with Max and fill it with better memories. Speaking of…

At about three, Chloe got into her truck and headed for Blackwell. By her estimation, Max was just about to finish high school, and Chloe wanted to be there to greet her when she did. How did that graduation cliché go? "This is the first day of the rest of your lives?" Graduation itself was still a week away, but that was mostly just a formality at this point, Chloe figured. Unless Max had _really_ bombed these tests, which she probably hadn't, she was _done._

Hoping to catch Max in transit, Chloe went and hung out by the gate to the dorms' courtyard. Her phone buzzed after a bit, and she assumed that was Max saying she was finally finished. Sure enough, Blackwell kids started trickling through on their way to their rooms, the ones that knew Chloe giving nods and smiles as they passed. As the stream of students began to trail off, Chloe saw Max round a corner, see her, and grin.

"You're here!" Max cheered, jogging over to Chloe and pulling her into a hug.

"Of course," Chloe replied, leaning down for a quick, gentle kiss, "Where else would I be?" Max shrugged.

"I dunno," she admitted, "At home, maybe? I mean, I went to the parking lot and saw your truck, but you weren't there, so I was a little confused."

"I'd sort of been hoping to surprise you here," Chloe remarked, realizing the flaw in the plan as she said it, "But I guess it's not so unexpected when I've been coming to meet you at school every Friday for the last five months."

"The shock value has worn off, yes," Max agreed, draping her arms around Chloe's neck and smiling up at her, "Doesn't make me any less happy to see you, though. Especially after this friggin' ordeal of a week!"

"Was it really that bad?" Chloe asked, smirking.

"Eh, I'll live," Max stated, shrugging again, "Official final grades come back Wednesday, so I guess we'll just have to wait 'til then to find out if I really passed… But there's nothing more I can do right now! Just help me enjoy the start of a new life. One without any tests!"

"I'm down for that," Chloe replied, "I spent the week packing up all my crap and getting ready to leave. I am one hundred percent 'start of a new life' prepped." She thought back to the boxes of her stuff stacked in her room, and the one box she'd buried. It was about friggin' time for a new life. She sure as shit didn't have any business left in this town. "Anything in mind?"

"There's a party down at the beach starting in a few hours," Max explained, "I thought we could make an appearance. In the meantime, wanna come up to my room? Chloe-Bear's been doing her best, but I've missed the real thing."

"I wouldn't want to leave you un-kissed and un-cuddled," Chloe noted, grinning and brushing her nose against Max's, "Lead the way." Taking Chloe by the hand, Max stepped through the gates and started toward her dorm. Smiling at the warm feeling of Max's hand in her own, Chloe concluded that spending the week apart was one more thing she was looking forward to putting behind her.


	105. Beach Party

**A/N: Sorry for the delay on this one. Things got busy over here for a bit, so I fell further behind than I'd like. It's a long one, though!**

Being done with school was _amazing_. Granted, there was still a week until actual graduation, but it was a week that would be mostly just watching movies in class and other fun, frivolous stuff. No more tests, no more homework, no more grades!

Max had spent most of the afternoon lounging around her room with Chloe, cuddling, napping, and making out as the mood struck them. They talked about their weeks, too, but neither really had much to report. All Max had done all week was study for finals and then take them, and Chloe seemed to have mostly just gone through and packed up all her stuff. Max would have to do some packing of her own in the coming week, she knew, but she had a lot less accumulated clutter to sort through than Chloe did.

In all actuality, Chloe was pretty vague about the whole packing process, though. Not that boxing up all her crap was probably exciting or anything, but it felt like something more was going on. Chloe was talkative otherwise, though, and plenty kissy and cuddly, so Max figured she'd just leave it be for now. Chloe would tell her when she was ready.

As it got into the evening, Max gently shook herself loose of Chloe's embrace and stretched. There was supposed to be some kind of end of the year party happening down at the beach, according to Dana, and it sounded fun enough that Max at least wanted to give it a look. She wasn't quite clear on whether it was a Blackwell-sanctioned event or just something informal people were throwing together, but it wasn't like that made all that much of a difference. The Vortex Club had always had access to school facilities for their ragers, so official school involvement arguably didn't mean much. On the other hand, the "welcome back" party and the Valentine's dance had both been pretty mellow, and Max was getting the sense that things were a lot calmer without Nathan and Jefferson pulling the strings. On the _other_ other hand, people didn't really need an instigator to get wild, a lot of the time.

Whatever. She and Chloe would show up and give it a look, and they could just duck out if they weren't having a good time. Max had no interest in anything even close to the craziness that had been the End of the World party, but an evening beach party could be fun, if it was chill. It wasn't the _last_ chance all the Blackwell kids would have to see each other- they still had a week to kill, after all- but it was probably gonna be the last hurrah of the informal social committee that had developed in the Vortex Club's vacuum. Or maybe it wouldn't be, and Dana, Juliet, and whoever else they'd roped in would have mixers going every night of the next week.

"So, time to head down to this beach bonfire shindig?" Chloe asked, sitting up some and stretching as well. Max nodded.

"I mean, I don't know if there's gonna be any bonfires involved," she replied, "But yeah."

"Beach parties always have bonfires," Chloe insisted, "Good for light and heat, and not much danger of it spreading or getting out of hand." She got to her feet. "I don't need a swimsuit, right? I'd just kind of assumed we weren't actually going to go swimming."

"Definitely not," Max confirmed, shaking her head and standing, "The ocean is way too cold at the best of times, and anyway, I remember it was actually even a little nippy out at the beach the last time we were there."

"I do remember there being nips involved, yes," Chloe teased, earning an eyeroll and a smile from Max, "So, no swimsuit. Any dress code, though?"

"The flyers and posters they printed up featured the word 'luau' and some slightly insensitive hula dancer cliparts," Max noted, "So anyone who owns a Hawaiian shirt will probably wear one. Didn't say it's expected, though."

"But _do_ expect industrial-grade quantities of 'laid'/'lei'd' puns," she added, checking to make sure her camera was in her bag before slinging it over her shoulder, "Ready to head out?" Chloe nodded her agreement, and the two left Max's room hand in hand.

Max didn't bother checking in with everybody before she and Chloe left the building, but she assumed most people had already left for the beach. In theory, the party had started close to an hour ago, and it would take people a little while to get there from Blackwell, especially by bus, which was how most would be travelling. There wasn't too much of a rush, though. As far as Max knew, there wasn't any sort of schedule or structured activities at the party, and the time alone with Chloe had been well spent.

A little over half an hour later, Chloe pulled into the beach parking lot. They'd stopped at a fast food place on the way just to grab something to eat, but it didn't look like they'd missed anything for the delay. Just like Chloe had predicted, there was a bonfire going, and speakers were hooked up to someone's iPod over on one end of the party. It looked like most of the Blackwell seniors were present, along with a good number of the underclassmen- mostly juniors with a few sophomores mixed in, but no freshmen to speak of. People were getting cans of pop and bottles of water out of a set of coolers, and those seemed to be the only real refreshments on offer. That was just as well, Max thought. Shrugging and taking a deep breath, Max stepped onto the sand.

"Well, this seems nice enough," Chloe remarked as Max began leading her around, "Kinda low-key, like that thing in January." Max had gotten the sense that this was meant to be a somewhat more momentous event than that had been, but Chloe wasn't wrong.

"Everyone's been kind of skittish about big parties, it feels like," Max noted, "Like, most people don't really _know_ what was going on before, but the rumor mill has actually been churning out a pretty close picture of it. A general belief that wild parties were being purposely orchestrated as cover for… _that_ has really undermined their popularity. Pretty sure there's been pre-gaming going on, and you'll find a couple flasks around here if you look, but nothing like the level of craziness at the End of the World party." Chloe shrugged.

"I don't really have that frame of reference," she pointed out, "But I'll take your word on it. There's less sloppy drunk kids out here than I saw out then, at least."

Acting mostly on impulse, Max led Chloe in the vague direction of the drink coolers. That was just what she _did_ at a party: wander around with a drink. Most often, she'd just walk around with a can of coke or, when she was feeling adventurous and one was available, a beer, and sort of keep to the periphery. It wasn't like she'd gone to a whole lot of parties, so maybe it was just a matter of getting acclimated enough to come out of her shell more, but there wasn't much time left here at Blackwell, anyway.

"Max, I'm glad you're here!" Dana exclaimed, approaching once she caught sight of Max and Chloe. The cheerleader jogged up to them, waving.

"I wouldn't want to miss it!" Max replied, smiling and turning towards her, "Finals week was kind of a bitch, so it's good to unwind. Thanks for putting all this together! It looks good." Dana shrugged but smiled.

"Eh, it was a group effort," she countered, nevertheless keeping a proud glint in her eyes, "I'm just glad it all came together alright. When it came out there wasn't gonna be a prom, we sort of rushed to throw _something_ together."

"Yeah, what happened with that, anyway?" Chloe asked, sipping her Fanta. She hadn't been making a big deal of it, but Max had been able to tell that Chloe had been disappointed prom was cancelled. Or, not so much "cancelled" as just not happening. There hadn't been any sort of official announcement from the school, but the absence of any sort of prom or prom-like event couldn't go unnoticed by a bunch of kids who'd already been having a bumpy year.

"Who even knows?" Dana sighed, throwing up her hands, "Me, Juliet, and Courtney had volunteered to organize it and stuff, but Blackwell gave us the runaround. Like, they said it was because the usual venue they'd been using got destroyed in the storm or whatever, but that felt like bullshit. We told Wells we could just do it in the gym, no hotels, no banquet halls, no nothing, but he just brushed it off and said the prom budget had already been reallocated or whatever."

"I think it's more just them covering their asses, though," Dana went on, "All kinds of crazy shit was going on back in the first month of this school year. Viral videos, suicide attempts, break-ins, then a goddamn _hurricane._ That's just the confirmed stuff, not even counting Nathan's drug pushing being an open secret and all rumors that Jefferson was going all _Girl with the Dragon Tattoo_ out in the woods or something. Things've been going pretty smooth since we all got back in January, so my guess is the school just wanted to avoid a Murphy's Law sort of situation with something big like prom."

"What, like someone pulling a _Carrie_?" Max wondered aloud. Dana's reasoning made sense, as far as she was concerned. Maybe more so than even Dana realized. The truth about Nathan and Jefferson wasn't public knowledge, after all.

"I guess, minus the sudden teenage superpowers," Dana confirmed. Chloe snorted and began to laugh. Just to be safe, Max rewound.

"I guess, minus the sudden teenage superpowers," Dana said again. This time, Max squeezed Chloe's hand as a signal to be cautious. To her relief, it worked.

"But, like, any other sort of shenanigans, too," Dana added, "Spiked punch, senior pranks, just people getting too rowdy and shit getting out of hand. There've been a few mixers and dances so far that've all gone fine, but prom's sort of the big one. If I was a school admin, I'd be a little gunshy, too. This party's not an official Blackwell event, though, so no worries there."

"Yeah, hopefully everyone will be mellow," Max agreed, looking around, "Let's let the year go out on a high note."

"I'll drink to that," Dana cheered, lifting her can of pop, "But you two go on and enjoy. I've got other folks to check on." With that, she bounded off to greet a cluster of newcomers wandering in from the road.

"Bummer about prom," Chloe grumbled, "Guess I can't blame them, but still. Bummer." Max nodded in agreement.

"Yeah, but there's music here," she pointed out, "I guess we could just think of it like a beach party themed prom that really, _really_ nailed the atmosphere and aesthetic." Chloe chuckled.

"It's not quite the same," the taller girl insisted, "But sure, I'll take it."

Max and Chloe made the rounds on the beach, checking in with everybody. There was a certain bittersweet quality to the whole event, at least among all the other seniors. They had all week to hang out and say their goodbyes, really, but this was their last high school party. There would be plenty of parties after this for all of them, but not with this specific group. Maybe there would be other chances at class reunions, but Max, at least, wasn't sure if she'd have any interest in going to those. She'd made friends at Blackwell, but she could keep up with them through Facebook, if she really wanted, and she honestly didn't think she'd want to revisit Blackwell as an institution down the line. Her experiences there had undoubtedly had an impact on her life, but that didn't mean she'd have nostalgia for it. Then again, maybe she'd feel differently in a few years. She wouldn't bet on it, though.

Once she and Chloe had finished their drinks, Max led the taller girl over towards the speakers and the area that had sort of become a dance floor. Just like at the other Blackwell events lately, the music was just someone's Pandora hooked up to a sound system, but it wasn't like Max's standards were especially high. Just so long as there was some kind of rhythm to vaguely move to, the sound quality wasn't a big deal.

"Hey. Hey, Max," Chloe murmured during a slow song, resting her forehead against Max's.

"Hm?" Max responded, recognizing the mischievous spark in Chloe's eyes.

"We totally _did it_ right here," the blue haired girl hissed, grinning. Max blushed and rolled her eyes, but she could still feel the smile spreading across her face at the memory. There was no way to be certain that the exact spot they were swaying on was where they had made love a few weeks before, but it was close, so far as Max could tell. That was what the memory made special, anyway: the whole area.

"Yes we did, darling," Max whispered, giving Chloe a soft kiss before resting against her shoulder, "Just another adventure at Lighthouse Overlook Park."

"I wonder what our younger selves would say," Chloe remarked, "Like, we were always hanging out at this beach and at the park and by the lighthouse. Thirteen-year-old me would probably, like, pee her pants from excitement if I could go back and tell her. Me. Whatever, you get what I'm saying." Max snickered quietly.

"I'd offer to pass the message along, but that would probably majorly screw up the timeline," she replied, "But yeah, I don't know if our tween selves would be able to even process that information. Like, the idea of _kissing_ was a little extreme back then."

"I imagine tiny Chloe and tiny Max just, like, holding hands all the time," Chloe noted, "If they- we- had started dating back then. I guess maybe I just have rose colored glasses for my life before everything fell apart, but all I can picture is younger versions of us being all innocent and adorable and shit."

"I like to think we're pretty adorable _now_ ," Max said, smiling and looking up at Chloe, "But I think I understand what you're getting at. Whatever might have happened back then if things had been different, I'm happy with how we've ended up, though."

"Agreed," Chloe breathed, leaning down to steal a kiss, "We're pretty great." They carried on like that for a while, swaying, kissing, and whispering to each other during slow songs, thrashing and shimmying during the livelier ones.

Eventually, Dana and her co-hosts called everyone together for a group picture while there was still at least some light. The "official" picture was taken on Dana's phone, with one of the underclassmen getting voluntold to take the photo. This was a _Blackwell_ group picture, though, so the crowd had to stay put while each photographer ran out one at a time, Max included, to take their own version. Several minutes later, they could finally break and get back to partying.

Max and Chloe went back to dancing for a little while, but as the sun went down and the breeze took on the slight evening chill, hanging out by the bonfire started to feel like a better alternative. After swinging by the coolers to get more drinks, they settled down on one of the logs that people had rolled over from the wooded part of the park. There was still a small crowd dancing over by the speakers, and plenty of people were still milling around elsewhere on the beach, but more and more of Max's classmates started filling in the space around the fire as it got dark. At some point, Dana and Juliet stepped away and returned a minute later with s'mores fixings, which got passed around with skewers.

People came and went as Max and Chloe sat by the fire. Something about being out by the sea with a bonfire going must have been making people sentimental, because the seniors of Blackwell kept on waxing nostalgic and discussing their plans for the next few years. For her part, Max mostly kept quiet, just smiling, resting against Chloe, and enjoying the s'mores. These people were her friends, but… not, like, her _permanent_ friends, if that made any sense. She'd had the same friends, more or less, from pre-K up through middle school, then different friends for her first three years of high school, and then the friends she'd made at Blackwell. Max had spent a significant portion of the last five months hanging out with Chloe, though, so she'd missed out on some of the bonding everyone else seemed to have experienced. Or maybe that was just her being her usual introverted self? It could always be both, she supposed.

After a while, Max quietly told Chloe she was ready to leave, and they started to make their way back to the parking lot. Between throwing their trash away and saying goodbyes, it took a few minutes to actually get off the beach, though. Once she and Chloe were in the truck, Max settled down into her seat and sighed. It had been a nice party, all things considered, but it felt so nice to just be in the dark and quiet of the cab with Chloe. Alone or with Chloe, that was how Max felt most at ease.

"Well, it wasn't a prom, but it was fun," Chloe remarked as she pulled out of the lot and started down the road, "The s'mores were a nice touch."

"I'm glad you had a good time," Max replied, smiling and leaning over to nuzzle Chloe's shoulder for a moment, "I wanted to join in with everybody else in saying goodbye to Arcadia Bay before graduation, at least in a Blackwell sort of way. I feel like you and me have a deeper connection with this town, and definitely more complicated feelings about it. We'll do our own goodbyes this weekend or this week, I guess, but this was sort of a sendoff from the Blackwell kid version of Arcadia Bay."

"Yeah, that makes sense," Chloe agreed, "Like, to me it's the shitty fishing town along the coast road that makes me feel trapped, but I guess they probably see it more as bunch of beaches and quaint shit they can hang around, free of parents." Max shrugged.

"Not sure that's _exactly_ it," she said, "But something like that, I guess. Definitely some kind of rose colored glasses at play."

"Eh, if they want this place, they can have it," Chloe scoffed, "I'm only glad I stuck it out as long as I did because that meant I ran into you. Can't wait to be out of here."

"Well, you just gotta hold out one more week," Max assured, "And it'll go by fast."

"Not too fast, though, I hope," Chloe replied, flashing a grin over at Max, "If this is the last full weekend in your dorm room, I think we should make the most of it. You know, before moving in with your parents for who knows how long." Max bit her bottom lip as a smile spread across her face.

"Probably," she agreed, "And, I mean, this is about as close to a prom night as we're getting. Making love on prom night is traditional, right?"

"That's what I've heard, anyway," Chloe noted, "I've never been much for tradition, but I'm willing to make an exception. Wouldn't want you to miss out on any quintessential high school experiences."


	106. The Last Night of High School

"You are finished with high school," Chloe murmured as she and Max snuggled on the brunette's couch on Friday afternoon, "No more classes, no more tests, no more grades. You're free!" Max giggled and nuzzled against Chloe's shoulder.

"It's very exciting, yes," she agreed, "I mean, grades came back on Wednesday, so the whole 'oh my god, I'm done!' feeling already hit me a couple days ago. But now it's official! Or, almost official? Because, like, graduation isn't until tomorrow, so I guess it's sort of a gray area…"

"Eh, close enough for me," Chloe noted, shrugging and pressing a kiss to Max's forehead.

This last week before Max's graduation had seemed to go by pretty quickly, all things considered. There's still been classes during the day, but Max said they were mostly just low key and fun. Chloe wasn't especially familiar with education policy or anything, but she guessed there was some kind of legal requirement about students being in class for a certain amount of time. Blackwell had to have some kind of temporary guardianship of all the students who were minors, right? For all the shenanigans that Blackwell kids got up to anyway, the school still probably couldn't have just let them run wild for a whole week.

Chloe hadn't had classes to go to, of course, but she'd found other ways to keep herself busy. For one thing, she gave her truck a once over, making sure it was in working condition for a long trip. Granted, it hadn't given her any trouble on the drives between Arcadia Bay and Seattle up to this point, but the October and January trips had been mostly on back roads at a leisurely pace, and even the spring break drive had been broken up by stops in Portland both ways. This time, though, she and Max would be caravanning up to Seattle with Ryan and Vanessa, and she got the sense they'd be making the trip all in one day. Like, they'd stop for food and gas and stuff, but that was still something like seven or eight solid hours of driving. As long as she'd had the time, Chloe had decided it was better to be safe than sorry.

"What are you planning to do with this newfound freedom?" Chloe asked, idly playing with Max's hair. For her part, Chloe had brought her bags along with her to Blackwell that afternoon, with the intention of just staying over that night and Saturday night. She'd see her mom and David tomorrow at Max's graduation, which was when she was planning on saying her goodbyes, and she'd already packed up all her stuff, so there wasn't any reason for her to go back home, anyway.

"Well, Mom and Dad will probably be getting to town pretty soon, and I think they're hoping to do dinner," Max noted, checking her phone, "You're welcome to come, too, of course. Like, I'm actually pretty sure they're expecting you."

"Then I'll probably graduate at some point tomorrow," she went on, putting on a nonchalant tone, "I mean, if I can get around to it." Chloe snickered.

"I think we can probably block out some time for that," Chloe remarked, "But for real, though, I am so excited to see you walk across that stage!" She squeezed Max close. "I'm proud of you! Not surprised, but still proud."

"Thanks," Max murmured, shifting around a bit so she could nuzzle into the crook of Chloe's neck, "It's not really such a big deal, though. Just going through the motions. It's a lot more impressive that you managed to get yourself back on track with your GED and stuff. I'm proud of _you._ " Chloe smiled to herself and felt a blush in her cheeks. She usually tried to insist that it wasn't a big deal that she'd gotten her GED, but all the same she cherished the praise.

"At this point, I feel like it's safe to assume we're both pretty pleased with each other in general," Chloe pointed out, "But I'm glad you think so." Max scooted up to steal a quick kiss from Chloe, and they went on cuddling and kissing for a while longer, whispering compliments and flirtatious banter back and forth.

Eventually, though, Max's phone rang, and she sighed and reached for it. Although Chloe loved holding Max and passing time being cutesy together, she found she wasn't super annoyed by the interruption, as it turned out. For one thing, she picked up that it was Ryan on the other end of the phone. It wasn't like she was gonna begrudge Max her parents, and besides, this sounded more like a check-in and planning call than a spontaneous conversation call. More so than that, though, Chloe found herself just feeling giddy at the knowledge she and Max had the rest of their lives together to cuddle and kiss. Who cared if there was an interruption here and there?

"That was Dad," Max reported once she'd hung up, "Him and Mom checked in at a Holiday Inn, and now they're coming to pick us up to go out for dinner. I sort of figured you'd be cool with that." Chloe nodded.

"I'm not gonna turn down a free meal," she replied, "How long 'til they're here, do you think?" Chloe had been able to hear most of the conversation, but she hadn't been able to place where exactly Ryan and Vanessa had wound up staying relative to Blackwell.

"He said they were on their way, so maybe like fifteen minutes?" Max suggested, "Or twenty? Him or Mom'll text when they get here."

"So I don't need to let go of you yet, is what I'm picking up here," Chloe teased, holding Max close as the brunette nestled back into her embrace.

"Not yet, no," Max confirmed, her voice soft, "We still have a little bit of time to ourselves." Sitting up a little to bring her face close to Chloe's, Max leaned in for a kiss. Fifteen or twenty minutes wasn't too much time, but it was enough for Chloe and Max to get in a few more quality kisses. In time, though, Max's phone chirped and they both got up. Max paused for a second at her mirror to straighten her clothes and smooth her hair, but Chloe just shrugged a few times and pulled her hat back on, and they headed down to the parking lot.

"Max!" Vanessa called as Chloe and Max came to the rise over the parking lot. Seeing her mother waving, Max hurried down to meet her and Ryan, and Chloe followed behind. By the time she caught up with Max, the Caulfields were locked in a group hug, so she just sort of stood awkwardly off to the side. Ryan and Vanessa had been really welcoming to her ever since she showed up at their door in October, but Chloe still wasn't about to push her way into a family reunion moment like that.

"So, where should we get dinner?" Ryan asked once this first round of greetings was finished, "Two Whales?"

"Doesn't get much more Arcadia Bay than that," Chloe noted, "Some new places have been opening up since the storm, and there're chains in driving distance, but the Two Whales is honestly probably our best option, anyway." That was all the go-ahead the Caulfields needed, and they and Chloe piled into Vanessa's car.

Friday night at the Two Whales was about as crowded as things got in Arcadia Bay, but there were still a few booths available. Vanessa and Ryan saw Mom, and there were a few minutes of the three of them catching up while Chloe and Max just sort of claimed a table. Chloe tried her best to pick a spot that wouldn't be in Mom's area. Like, she'd been a waitress at the Two Whales back when the Caulfields lived in Arcadia Bay, too, and they'd eaten there plenty, but that was _then_. Now Ryan and Vanessa were big city folks with big city jobs, and so Chloe would feel really awkward to have her mother waiting on them…

All the same, dinner at the Two Whales was fun. Ryan and Vanessa mostly asked Max about how her last few weeks of school had been and talked about how proud they were. Just usual parent stuff. They asked Chloe about how she'd been, too, but Chloe didn't really have that much to say. Well, aside from the Big News that had come through back in May, anyway, but she wasn't sure how to bring that up with her would-be in-laws. Like, she and Max knew they'd be together for the long term, but Chloe had always rolled her eyes at girls who talked about getting married before they'd been dating a person for even a year, especially at her age.

Once they'd run out of catching-up topics, the conversation moved over to planning for the weekend. Tomorrow would be graduation, and after that they'd start to clear out Max's room. Max would spend one last night in her room, and then they'd leave on Sunday morning and drive up to Seattle, like Chloe had thought. For her part, Chloe had brought her bags with her to Blackwell that afternoon, so she wouldn't have to stop off at home on the way out of town.

After dinner, Vanessa and Ryan dropped Chloe and Max off back at Blackwell, sticking around there for a few minutes to go over the schedule for tomorrow one more time, and to give Max one last round of excited congratulations before the big day itself. Having said goodbye a few times and then getting sidetracked each time, Max's parents finally pulled out of the Blackwell parking lot after maybe ten minutes, and it was just Chloe and Max again.

"Huh, so that's what that's like," Chloe remarked as she took Max's hand and they started for the dorms.

"What?" Max asked, lacing her fingers between Chloe's in a familiar motion.

"Getting dropped off at Blackwell," Chloe explained, "I'm usually the one driving away. Glad that there's not, like, some super-secret 'dropped off at Blackwell' party that happens that I've been missing out on all year." Max snorted.

"Nah, it's just the usual sort of quiet campus," she replied, gesturing around with her free hand, "Although this isn't _entirely_ like when you drop me off."

"Oh?" Chloe pressed, taking the bait and looking forward to seeing where Max was going with this.

"When you drop me off, it's a lot lonelier," Max stated, moving closer as they walked, "And, up until the last month or so, it was kind of cold, too."

"Cold _and_ lonely?" Chloe exclaimed, feigning shock, "That's no good!" She let go of Max's hand only to pull the shorter girl close with an arm around her shoulder. "I'll make sure to be hella snuggly tonight, then. Y'know, to keep you company and keep you warm."

"It's not cold anymore, goof," Max pointed out, snuggling in close beside Chloe all the same, "It's June! But hella snuggles will still be appreciated."

"Good," Chloe replied, "I don't think I can cancel the order now. The snuggles have already shipped. What would I do with all those snuggles if you didn't want them?"

"Luckily, I don't think we'll ever need to answer that question," Max stated, "Just keep the snuggles coming. Like those subscription box services!" Chloe snickered.

"Now I'm just imagining you opening up a package and me popping out," she explained, "But, like, small, because I'm in a box. Just a tiny Chloe with a tiny Chloe voice jumping out to glomp you every month."

"I think I like normal-sized Chloe better," Max remarked, nuzzling against Chloe's shoulder, "Adorable as that sounds."

"It's probably better that way," Chloe admitted, "I've got no idea where I'd get a bunch of tiny clones of myself for a subscription service."

They went on bantering as they made their way to Max's dorm, arms around each other and voices light. It sounded like there was a movie going in the TV lounge when they stepped out onto Max's floor, so they wound up spending a little over an hour sitting there with a bunch of Max's dormmates watching something with… Michael Cera, was it? And that girl from that one show and the Thor movies? It wasn't exactly _Citizen Kane_ \- not that she'd ever actually seen _Citizen Kane_ \- but it was an entertaining enough that Chloe figured she wouldn't mind watching the first half hour or so that they'd missed some time.

Once the movie ended, everyone split up into their little groups, going in their separate directions. Victoria and her minions, the cheerleader and her blonde friend, Kate Marsh, Stella, and Alyssa, and then Brooke slipping out into the stairwell. Probably to meet up with Warren or something, Chloe assumed. Once it was just the two of them, Max sighed and heaved herself up off the couch.

"Thanks for humoring me and sitting through that," she said quietly as she led Chloe down the hall, "I know you maybe would have liked to just be alone with me, and not in a group hang or whatever."

"Eh, it's cool," Chloe replied, shrugging and giving a reassuring smile, "I've got you to myself for the whole rest of the night." Really, Chloe was glad Max had the chance to hang out with her Blackwell friends one last time before graduation. There was less making out between them sitting on the TV lounge couch than if they'd been in Max's room, but otherwise this was probably what they would have done for a while once they were there, anyway: Just snuggle and watch a movie.

"Yup," Max agreed as she pulled Chloe into her room and shut the door, "My last night in high school! It's still surreal to think about!" She put her arms around Chloe's neck and pressed close, smiling up at the blue haired girl.

"Your last night in high school," Chloe confirmed, grinning and leaning down to brush her nose against Max's, "And my last night to be your cool, mysterious girlfriend who doesn't even go here." Max giggled and stood on her tiptoes just enough to press her lips against Chloe's.

"You'll always be my cool girlfriend, darling," she breathed, smiling and stealing another kiss.

"Well, up until I'm your cool wife," Chloe noted, running a hand through Max's hair and earning a cute little snort.

"True," Max laughed, settling back down onto her heels and leading Chloe further into her room, "In the meantime, though, let's make the most of my last night before I'm out in the 'real world,' whatever that is."

"Definitely," Chloe agreed, "Gotta put that hella snuggles subscription to good use!"


	107. Graduation Day

The graduation ceremony didn't actually start until ten thirty, Max knew, but she still somehow managed to wake up at five in the morning. She tried her best to get back to sleep, but didn't have any luck. She kept her eyes shut and nuzzled into Chloe's shoulder, and she dozed a bit, but she was awake for good, it looked like.

It wasn't really that Max was nervous, per se. There wasn't anything to be nervous about. She'd sit in a fold-up chair on the auditorium, Principal Wells would talk some, Kate would give her valedictorian speech, Principal Wells would talk some more, then they'd all walk across the stage one at a time to collect their diplomas, shake Wells's hand, and go back to their seats. Her only job was to sit there and walk for all of like thirty seconds, and she was certain she could handle that.

Really, the issue was more just one of anticipation. She was going to be _graduating_ in less than six hours! For all that time was a bit more porous for Max than other people, finishing high school was still a pretty momentous transition, even if it wasn't a particularly surprising one. She'd been an "adult" since September, but this felt like the real entry into adulthood. Or, maybe more like the departure from childhood? It was a big landmark either way.

Once it was apparent she wasn't going to be drifting back to sleep, Max sighed and shrugged to herself. There were definitely worse things than spending a couple hours just spacing out and snuggling Chloe, that was for sure. If anything, taking some time to just relax and adjust to being awake was better than waking up and hopping out of bed, in Max's opinion. She'd heard somewhere that it was actually healthier or something to just get up and start the day as soon as you woke up, but the health benefits would have to amount to immortality or something for Max to willingly get out of a comfy bed with a comfy Chloe in it.

Eventually, Max's alarm went off, and she reached across Chloe to grab her phone and shut it off. When she'd set it the night before, the idea had been to wake up at seven thirty and spend an hour or so lazing around with Chloe before climbing out of bed to start getting ready for graduation. That hadn't been necessary, it turned out, but whatever. Now she was just back on schedule.

"Mornin'," Chloe mumbled, a groggy smile spreading on her face as her eyes fluttered open, "Are you pumped? You know, for graduation?"

"Pumped enough that I've been awake for hours already," Max noted, "Is that how pumped works?"

"Maybe," Chloe replied, "But, I mean, pumped is supposed to be fun, and I feel like insomnia is less fun and more anxious. You could have woken me up, if you wanted. I coulda kept your mind off it or whatever." Max shrugged.

"Eh, I figured I'd just let you sleep," she explained, "And I got to snuggle you plenty." She rested her head back down against Chloe's shoulder.

"Well, now I get to snuggle you back, so that's fun," Chloe remarked, bringing her hand up to stroke Max's hair, "I like sleeping in, but you're worth being awake for. Even at-" She checked her own phone. "-Seven thirty five in the morning." Max snickered and tilted her head up to press a kiss to Chloe's cheek.

The morning went more or less the way Max had planned from that point on. After an hour or so of cuddling, kissing, and conversing with Chloe, she reluctantly climbed out of bed to start getting ready. She didn't _have_ to start just then, but it had felt like a good idea to get a head start on everything. The last thing she wanted was for the dorm to run out of hot water while she was showering or something. That had never happened to Max personally, but there was enough anecdotal evidence out there that she didn't want to risk it. Besides, Chloe needed a shower, too, and Max figured it was best to get in before the rush as long as her plus-one was taking up an extra shower stall.

It didn't take too long from there to get all dressed and made up for the ceremony. The fact that she was going to spend the whole of graduation draped in an opaque polyester poncho and wearing a weird hat actually made the whole process a lot easier. Max had never been super meticulous about her appearance, anyway, but that evaporated whatever misgivings she still had. Obviously she still wanted to wear something kind of nice for afterwards, but that would just be for lunch with Mom, Dad, and Chloe, not a crowd.

Max took a pre-graduation selfie- partly just because she wanted to capture the moment, and partly as a safety precaution- and she and Chloe stepped out of her room to start making their way to the auditorium. The hall was abuzz with activity as they passed through, and Max breathed a quiet sigh of relief that she'd forced herself to get up early enough to beat all the rush. There were excited, hurried greetings exchanged between her and her classmates as she walked, but she was glad to be escaping the chaos.

The courtyard was busy, too, but the open air made it a lot less unnerving. Most of the people out there were students' families waiting to greet their children before the ceremony, and so they couldn't be bothered to pay much attention to Max and Chloe. Slipping past them, Max led Chloe around to the auditorium, keeping an eye out for her parents. She'd told them to wait by the entrance to the Performing Arts Wing, so she was hopeful she'd run into them on her way.

"Hold up," Chloe hissed, squeezing Max's hand and pulling her to a stop, "I wanna just take a moment, just you and me, before we meet up with your parents and my mom." Max smiled and turned to face Chloe, letting herself get pulled into a gentle hug.

"Are you getting psyched?" Chloe asked, holding Max close and pressing a kiss to her scalp. Max nodded and grinned up at her.

"Oh, _so_ psyched," she confirmed, "I'm definitely ready to be done with high school."

"Yeah, it's pretty great," Chloe replied, "No classes, no homework. You're gonna love it." Max rolled her eyes and snorted, standing up on her tiptoes to steal a kiss. After a moment or two of holding each other tight, Max and Chloe let go of each other and found their way to the auditorium.

Sure enough, Mom, Dad, and Joyce were waiting for them at the doors to the Performing Arts Wing. There was a lot of hugging all around, and a few pictures, first of just Max, then Max and Chloe, and then Max and her parents, taken with her own camera, Mom's little digital Nikon, and Joyce's phone in turn. Exchanging one last hug with Chloe, Max headed in to find the staging area.

Max was one of the first graduates to arrive, it looked like, her early start having paid off. Kate was already there, practicing her valedictorian speech, and Stella was checking her phone in a corner, but that was about it. Kate ran over for a hug when she caught site of Max, and they talked some to pass the time. The others started arriving after a little while, and Mrs. Grant began arranging everybody alphabetically. Putting on her mortarboard, Max took a deep breath. It was game time.

They processed out into the auditorium to that one tune- what was it, "Pomp and Circumstance"?- that got played at every graduation. There were cheers, people calling out to their children, and flashes going off, but a small Senior class like this could only really incite so much chaos. Max and her classmates filed into the first few rows and stayed standing for the national anthem. After that, it was just sitting for like forty five minutes of speeches.

For all that Blackwell had been trying to maintain a façade of normality since classes started again in January, all the crap from October still kind of hung over everything. Wells noted that this particular school year had been irregular, but other than that his speech was so formulaic it had to be intentional. Max wasn't really sure what she'd been expecting, though. Considering there was still a criminal case against a former teacher going on, and one that implicated the son of one of the school's biggest donors at that, the school's legal counsel had probably told him to just keep it simple and hollow.

Kate's valedictorian speech seemed a lot more heartfelt than Wells's remarks, if nothing else. She didn't name names or anything, but Max was pretty sure that when Kate said "sometimes, things felt bleak" or "never doubt the difference one person can make," people knew what she meant. It sure seemed like Victoria did. The speech tiptoed pretty close to God-talk a couple times, too, but that just made it feel more Kate Marsh-y, and Blackwell was a private school. Max was just glad Kate was smiling and around for graduation at all.

At long last, the time came to walk across the stage, and the class got up and began filing into the aisle. Standing at the head of the Cs, Max got called up pretty quickly. She stepped onto the stage and started walking across, keeping her rehearsed smile on the whole way. Despite Wells asking that all cheers and applause be saved until after all graduates had walked, Max still heard Chloe shouting "woooo!" and she had to keep herself from breaking down giggling. As it turned out, she managed to keep it together enough to get to Wells, take the empty diploma cover, and shake his hand, a couple of flashes from out in the audience telling her that her parents had captured the moment on film.

And just like that, Max had graduated. Or, really, maybe she already had, and this was just a formal ceremony acknowledging it. Or what if she hadn't yet at all, and she'd only _really_ be done when she picked up her diploma in like half an hour? Max wasn't entirely sure how all this worked, but she knew at least that her part in this whole graduation ceremony was over. Getting back to her seat, Max sat down and spaced out for the last bit of the ceremony, only snapping to attention when Alyssa nudged her in time to file out of the auditorium with everyone else.

Teachers herded them down a hallway and to the band room to return their caps and gowns. In exchange, they got their cardstock diplomas and were free to go. Some people hugged and cried together off to the side once they'd gone through the line, but that wasn't really Max's style. The real sendoff, in her mind, had been the beach party a week before, and now it was just a matter of saying a few last goodbyes and moving on with her life. For everything else, there was Facebook.

As soon as Max stepped back into the atrium, she caught sight of Chloe rushing over. The taller girl picked Max up and spun her around before returning her to the ground, albeit still held tight. It had barely been an hour since they'd seen each other last, but it still felt really nice that the first real thing to happen to Max in "the real world" was a hug and a kiss from her sweetheart.

The rest of the afternoon went by in sort of a haze for Max. They all went out for lunch, at the nice place she and Chloe had gone to for brunch over Valentine's weekend. Chloe and Joyce said their goodbyes after that, and there were a few tears on both sides. From there Mom and Dad came back to the dorms with Max and Chloe to load stuff into the back of the car, and then the four of them went to the movies to see _Maleficent_ , then out for another dinner.

By the time Max and Chloe returned to campus in the evening, the place had settled down a lot. Some people had probably just packed everything up and left that afternoon, Max guessed, and others might still have been out with their own families. Her hall was similarly deserted, with a few doors left open to empty rooms with bare furniture. Even Max's room felt a little desolate, stripped as it was of everything but a bit of luggage and her.

On the one hand, that meant she and Chloe basically just needed to roll out of bed in the morning and they'd be ready to go, but it still left Max feeling like a stranger in her own space. It wasn't like she wouldn't be able to get to sleep or anything, but it did make just kind of hanging around in there for a couple hours less appealing. It was a warm night. It was the last night she and Chloe would be spending in Arcadia Bay for a long time, and definitely the last night as residents. The choice was obvious.

"So, how does it feel to be all graduated and shit?" Chloe asked, stroking Max's hair as they cuddled on the bench up by the lighthouse, "Feeling suddenly grownup or anything?"

"Nah, pretty much the same," Max replied, shrugging and nuzzling into the crook of Chloe's neck, "I mean, I'm relieved and stuff, and I'm excited to be totally done with high school, but I don't feel like I've changed as a person, really. Why, did it feel like that to you?"

"Well, when _I_ was done with high school, it was because I was a dropout," Chloe noted, "So it did feel like a big change, but not really in a good way. I guess it felt like a big deal when I did my GED, too, but that might be because I spent a couple years out of high school without a diploma, and suddenly I had one. Or the equivalent, anyway. It felt like it brought me a lot more options, but that's just because I hadn't had 'em before."

"That's fair," Max agreed, "Like, my graduating high school was always sort of a foregone conclusion with my family and teachers and everybody. Getting into Blackwell was the big change, really, the thing that opened up new options. High school graduation all on its own doesn't mean all that much to me, though."

"Just as well, I guess," Chloe sighed, giving Max a gentle squeeze and kissing her forehead, "With the world the way it is, low expectations can only help you at this point. It'd be a real bummer if you were hoping the world outside of high school was, like, the Mystical Land of Not-Assholes or something." Max giggled.

"I guess we both missed out on that whole graduation saying," she remarked, "How does it go? 'This is the first day of the rest of your lives'?"

"Something like that," Chloe said, her voice getting quiet, "But you can still have that moment outside of graduation. Like, a turning point or whatever, a point of no return."

"I guess," Max agreed, "When you say it like that, I guess the first day of the rest of my life was… was when I discovered my power." She shivered at the memory of the exact moment that had happened, and tightened her grip on Chloe.

"October eleventh, twenty thirteen," Chloe stated, "That one's mine." Max thought back in her head, trying to match the date with its actual day. That had been after they'd been reunited, she was sure, but it took her a few seconds to actually remember the details.

"The storm?" she asked softly, looking up at Chloe. The taller girl nodded.

"Yup," Chloe confirmed, pointing to the cliff's edge, "Right over there. It had been one bitch of a week, and that had got me thinking the whole thing was fate, like I was marked or something. I- I wasn't really thinking straight…"

"But when I told you to go back and let me die, you tore the photo up," she went on, "If handing someone else literal power over your life and death and them choosing life doesn't count as a defining, life-changing moment, I don't know what does." She took Max's hand and pressed it to the center of her chest. "You are the literal reason my heart beats."

"Every day I see you, I'm so happy I made that choice," Max whispered, "I wouldn't trade you for anything, and I'd trade anything for you." Chloe smiled, and Max could see a few tears in the corners of her eyes.

"Luckily, I doubt you'll ever have to," the blue haired girl murmured, "I'm pretty set on sticking around. Like, I meant what I said: I'll always be with you."

"Forever," Max agreed, leaning up to press her lips to Chloe's.

"Sorry, I guess that kind of got a little heavy," Chloe mumbled after their kiss, wiping her eyes hastily, "Didn't mean to steal your graduation thunder…" Max shook her head.

"You're fine, darling," Max assured, "The whole conversation started because we established that there was no graduation thunder to steal, anyway." Chloe chuckled a little, and broke into a grin.

"Considering what we both said as our 'first days of the rest of our lives,' I guess we should be glad your high school graduation doesn't really compare," Chloe observed, "I'd hate to think how it could've."

"All the same, I guess I kind of am moving into a new phase in my life," Max noted, "The change is less dramatic than sudden time travel powers, but it's still a change. No more school, and no more having to be apart!" Chloe's grin grew wider.

"And we're both leaving Arcadia Bay for good in the morning," the taller girl pointed out, "Do you think maybe _tomorrow_ could count as the first day of the rest of our lives? Or, like, the first first day since the last first day?"

"Maybe those other times were the first days of the rest our individual lives," Max suggested, "But driving out tomorrow, to move into my bedroom in Seattle and then start looking for our own place together, we can probably count that as the first day of the rest of our shared life." Chloe held Max tight and leaned down for a long, soft kiss.

"Works for me."


	108. Home

Chloe flopped down onto the couch, letting out a sigh. After driving all day and then going out for dinner with the Caulfields, she could finally sit down. Well, she realized she'd actually been sitting all day, if she thought about it. There was a difference between sitting while driving or in a nice restaurant with Ryan and Vanessa and just sitting down and being able to relax, though. Chloe wasn't able to articulate her need for quiet nearly as well as Max could, but she still felt that need often enough.

The Caulfields' house seemed more or less like it had around Easter, and that had basically just been how it had been when Chloe and Max left for Arcadia Bay in January. A couple pictures had been switched out for more recent ones in the living room and the hall, but that was about the extent of the changes. It didn't quite feel like coming home, exactly, but it felt familiar enough that Chloe's mind processed it as a safe, comfortable place.

But was this her home now? She and Max had agreed to stay with Ryan and Vanessa in Seattle for a little while after Max's graduation so they could "figure things out," but how long was that going to take, exactly? Having a detailed five-year plan seemed like it would probably be sort of excessive, but Chloe wanted to avoid too much drifting. She'd had enough aimless uncertainty for a lifetime.

Still, there were worse places to spin your wheels than in a nice Seattle neighborhood, Chloe had to admit. She wasn't ready to let go of her Portland ambitions yet, but she could see a life here. Definitely a better one than she'd had in Arcadia Bay.

Things didn't need to be all planned out right that second, though. They couldn't just bum around the house _forever_ , but a few days to unwind was probably called for. Especially for Max, Chloe thought. Like, she'd been sort of puttering around Arcadia Bay for a while trying to kill time until they left, but Max had just finished her final exams a little over a week ago! It made sense that she might not be as eager to get the ball rolling so quick.

"Time for snuggles," Max declared, plopping down on the couch next to Chloe and immediately nestling in beside her.

"Yeah, that sounds about right," Chloe agreed, wrapping her arm around Max and stroking the shorter girl's shoulder, "For a day we spent pretty much completely together, it wasn't a super snuggly one…"

"Well, we were driving most of the time," Max noted, "On the actual highway, too. I didn't want to distract you and crash or something."

"I guess," Chloe conceded, "Better safe than sorry and shit."

"We're home now, though," Max pointed out, "So it's time for snuggles." The word "home" lodged in Chloe's mind for a second, but she tried to just not dwell on it. This already _was_ home for Max, she tried to remind herself.

"So, how does it feel to be back for good?" Chloe asked. In spite of herself, she was probing. "For good" was vague enough that Chloe hoped Max would fill in the blank and give some indication of a timeframe.

"Pretty normal, actually," Max remarked, shifting around a little and snaking her arm between the couch and the small of Chloe's back, "Like, I was only in Arcadia Bay for about a month before we had to leave back in October, and then we were here up into January. I never settled all the way back into Arcadia Bay, so Seattle still feels pretty normal to me. Like I never totally left, you know?" Chloe nodded.

"Makes sense," she said, turning to press a kiss to Max's forehead, "I wasn't settled all the way into Arcadia Bay, and I lived there for twenty years straight."

"Well, you lived there for twenty years, anyway," Max agreed, her voice teasing, "Not so sure about that other bit." It took Chloe a moment to get Max's joke, but she snickered after a second.

"Point is, I get not feeling totally at home in Arcadia Bay," she explained, "I know I have a flair for dramatic statements and all, but that place really did treat me pretty shitty, all things considered."

"No argument here," Max replied wrapping her other arm around Chloe's waist and pressing herself closer in a tight hug, "Wherever we wind up next will be better for you, I promise." That set Chloe's mind at ease some. If nothing else, Max wasn't working under the assumption that they'd just be living here indefinitely.

"So long as I'm with you, I know it'll be alright," Chloe whispered, tightening her own grip on Max and nuzzling her cheek against soft brown hair. Max cooed and squeezed Chloe a bit, shifting up and over a little to rest her in the crook of Chloe's neck.

"How about you?" Max asked once she was comfortably nestled in Chloe's arms again, "How do you feel about being back in Seattle?"

"Better than the last time around," Chloe remarked, "Like, then I was sort of on edge a little, not sure how welcome I'd really be, and worried that your parents would make us sleep apart and stuff. Being in the big city still makes me feel a little like a hick sometimes, but I'm a lot more at home now then I was then."

"That night wasn't all bad stress, though, was it?" Max pressed, her voice gentle and sweet, "Remember how we danced in the backyard?" Chloe smiled at the memory.

"How could I forget?" she wondered aloud, stroking Max's hair, "It was my first time slow dancing! Not counting awkward middle school encounters, anyway."

"Wanna dance now?" Max asked softly, smiling up at Chloe, "Not that I'd mind if we just stayed here snuggling, of course." Chloe leaned down for a soft kiss, dwelling there for a moment or two before drawing her head back again.

"I'd love to."

Just like that night eight months ago- a whole eight months? Just eight months? Chloe wasn't entirely sure how long it _felt_ \- the two of them quietly stepped out onto the back patio and slid the door shut behind them. There wasn't nearly as much reason to be sneaking around this time, granted. Like, making a bunch of noise while Max's parents were probably getting ready to sleep wouldn't be a great way to kick off this new cohabitation, but they didn't need to be as sneaky as they had back then. Their relationship was public, and they had no reason to hide that they were dancing in Max's backyard.

There had been a certain romance to that first night, though. Or, a certain _extra_ romance. Slow dancing under the night sky, pressing close for warmth but also just because, was pretty romantic all on its own. In October, though, the threat of separation hanging over them had made Chloe hold Max all the tighter. Still, there wasn't anything keeping her from holding Max like that tonight anyway, she thought to herself.

"I love you," Chloe murmured into Max's ear as they swayed, "I love you, and I'm so excited to be starting a life with you." She felt Max squeeze her shoulder.

"I love you, too," Max whispered back, resting her forehead against Chloe's as the taller girl leaned in a little, "I'm not really sure what comes next for us… It's weird to not have my life scheduled all of a sudden. But we'll be together, and that's what matters most to me." Chloe could tell Max was actually concerned about all the unknowns in their future, but she appreciated how the brunette tried to put a reassuring, sweet face on it. If Max wanted to seem confident, Chloe wasn't about to try and take that away by challenging her.

"Definitely," Chloe agreed, reaching up to cup Max's face, "No way I'm leaving your side." She leaned down a touch more for a kiss, stroking Max's cheek with her thumb.

"And I know you'll land on your feet," she went on, trying her best to soothe whatever anxieties Max was feeling, "You told me that people loved your pictures in another timeline! They'll love them in this one, too!" Max smiled and gave Chloe an Eskimo kiss.

"I wish I could believe in me as much as you do," Max sighed, "But I guess it's better I always think I could do better than get all up my own ass and think my work is always perfect." Chloe snorted at that description, although she agreed with the sentiment.

"You know what they say: You're your own harshest critic," Chloe noted, "But don't worry. I'll be your easiest one." Max giggled softly.

"Thanks," she murmured, resting her head back down against Chloe's shoulder, "I'm glad I'll have support at home, wherever that ends up being."

"Home's wherever you are," Chloe whispered, kissing Max's scalp, "That's where home is for me, anyway."

"You're such a sweetheart," Max observed, pressing close as the two of them slowly turned and swayed. It had been a pretty accurate statement on Chloe's part, though, even if she'd gone for a cutesy romantic phrasing. There were places she thought she'd feel really at home in, sure, but at this point her biggest criterion for where she wanted to be was "is Max there?" Having spent eight months together, and _together_ together, too, after five years apart, Chloe felt pretty confident about that much.

"I try," Chloe murmured.

"You succeed," Max replied.

They went on dancing together for a little while longer, pressed close and whispering to each other, but it didn't take too long before they agreed to go back inside. It was an overcast night, so stargazing was out of the question, and there was a cool breeze that had made their snuggling partially about keeping warm. Without really planning their next move, Chloe and Max wound up back on a couch in the den, running hands through each other's hair and making out. That was a pretty good default to have, Chloe figured.

"I think we should head upstairs," Max breathed between kisses, her breath hot against Chloe's face. Chloe smiled and pulled Max in for another kiss.

"What, feeling sleepy?" Chloe teased, knowing full well what Max had meant.

"Maybe, maybe not," Max whispered back, a playful glint in her eye as she leaned in to press a long, hot kiss to Chloe's lips, "I guess you'll have to follow me up to find out." She stood, switched off the lamp, and started walking towards the hallway, and Chloe hopped to her feet and followed. Whether or not the Caulfields' house was "home" was still up for debate, but as Chloe followed Max into the bedroom they'd shared every night for three months last year, she decided it was close enough for now.


	109. No Worries

Max woke up slowly, gradually eased into consciousness by the steady rhythm of Chloe's breathing. For what felt like the first time in forever, though, there was no reason she had to get up. There was no graduation to go to and no road trip to embark on. There were no classes to go to or somewhat prudish parents to mollify. She didn't even need to make the most of a limited time with Chloe. Big questions about jobs and apartments still loomed in the back of her mind, but there weren't any immediate concerns to worry about. The two of them could just sit around cuddling in bed all day if they wanted! In reality, they'd probably get up and dressed at some point that morning, but still. They had the option, if nothing else, and that was pretty fun.

Once she was fully awake, Max gently shifted around so she could look up and admire Chloe some. Considering that this was their first morning together in their new, "adult" lives, Max took a long, careful look at her sweetheart, trying to commit the image to memory. Chloe'd kept her hair more or less the same blue it had been when they'd been reunited, although she had gotten it cut a few times since then, such that it was a few inches shorter than it had been in October. Her face had softened some since then, too, which Max guessed was from a combination of smoking less, stressing less, and baking more. Smiling to herself, Max scooted forward and kissed Chloe's cheek.

"Chloe," Max whispered, nuzzling affectionately, "Chloe, it's morning and I love you and I want your kisses and your snuggles." Following another minute or so of nuzzling and planting kisses on Chloe's face, the taller girl began to stir.

"Max, we don't _have_ to wake up," Chloe grumbled, nevertheless lazily reaching up a hand to play with Max's hair, "Just go back to sleep and we'll get up at noon or whatever."

"Sorry, I'm awake and I'm staying that way," Max replied, "I guess my body is still used to waking up early." She glanced over at the clock on her nightstand. "Or, I mean, early-ish, I guess." Chloe shrugged and half opened her eyes.

"I guess I'll be awake too, then," she sighed, gently tightening her arm around Max, "I was still pretty out of it for the first thing you'd been saying, but do I remember there being talk of kisses and snuggles?" She gave a wink.

"Oh, yes," Max assured, "Plenty of both." Giggling, she climbed a little further forward still and touched her lips to Chloe's. In return, Chloe pulled Max over a bit so that she was resting fully on top of the taller girl, and their kiss got a little deeper.

Whiling away an hour or so in bed with Chloe, alternating between being cutesy and being sexy as the mood took them, was probably Max's favorite way to start the day. As far as personality traits went, it wasn't exactly quirky, she'd grant. Who _wouldn't_ enjoy wasting time flirting and making out with their sweetheart? She'd wondered, on occasion, whether she was getting into a bad habit by indulging like that. They'd have actual jobs to go to in the mornings soon enough, and so maybe it wasn't in her best interest to count on that high dose of affection every morning, but Max really couldn't be bothered to care, mostly. So long as she had the option, she'd always choose kisses and cuddles.

"We should probably get out of bed at _some_ point today, right?" Chloe asked, although she didn't loosen her grip on Max. Sighing, Max leaned in for one last, long kiss before resting her head back down on Chloe's shoulder.

"We'll have to get up and get dressed for dinner, if nothing else," she agreed, "I might want to eat something before then, though, and that would also entail at least one of us getting out of bed."

"I could cook us some breakfast," Chloe suggested, "Is it still breakfast time?" She turned her head to look at the clock. "Yeah, I could cook us some breakfast." That sounded like a reasonable enough plan, so the two of them leisurely got out of bed and put on some comfy "lie around the house" clothes. Even if they weren't going to be spending the whole day lounging in her bed making out, Max still wanted to take today easy. This past weekend hadn't really _felt_ like days off, between the graduation and drive, so she figured she was due for a day of relaxation.

Max hadn't been entirely certain what groceries her parents had on hand in the house, but it was enough for Chloe to work with, it looked like. She sat at the counter on the kitchen island while Chloe worked, chatting as the taller girl cooked. In not too long a time, there was a plate of pancakes and scrambled eggs sitting in front of Max, complete with a glass of orange juice.

"I figure this is a pretty good start to our Seattle interlude," Chloe remarked, sitting down next to Max at the counter with her own plate, "Lazy morning that started with make outs, and now pancakes."

"Definitely starts us off on a high note," Max agreed, smiling over at Chloe as she began to eat, "Lazy mornings are the best mornings. I wouldn't mind taking a few more before we actually start the ball rolling."

"Like, on finding jobs and an apartment and stuff?" Chloe asked around a mouthful of eggs. Max nodded.

"Basically, yeah," she confirmed, "As far as I know neither of us have any debt or anything to be paying back, like if we'd just gone through college, so there's not a ticking clock. But hopefully we'll have made at least _some_ progress by the end of the summer. I don't want to stay in this house forever."

"So, how do you find a job?" Chloe wondered aloud. Max opened her mouth to reply, realized she didn't _have_ a reply, and filled it with a bite of pancakes instead. She had a vague idea of how to structure a resume and write a cover letter, sure, but she lacked any real work experience to fill those in. When it came to photography, she was better equipped, since she had a portfolio of actual pictures to show and a bit of Blackwell prestige to her name. Even then, though, "making it" as a professional photographer, and an artsy one at that, wasn't going to be easy.

"Be in the right place at the right time?" Max suggested weakly once she'd swallowed, "I dunno." It seemed unlikely that something was going to just fall into their laps all of the sudden, but she supposed they had the option to hold out until it did. Trying to help things along seemed like a better plan, though.

"I guess Google is our friend," Chloe noted, "And, like, we can call up Lonnie if we need. She said she could set us up. I don't want to call in favors like that first thing, though."

"Yeah," Max agreed, "As long as we're not in dire straits, I'd rather avoid putting pressure on friends, too."

"That's kind of our only lead, though," Chloe sighed, shrugging and scooping up more eggs, "I guess we don't need to have it all figured out right now. Like you said, we can take some time." Max nodded and leaned over to nuzzle against Chloe's shoulder for a moment before returning to her breakfast.

"We'll figure it out," she stated, trying her best to sound confident, "But not today. Today is for snuggling and holding hands and not worrying about anything."

"Agreed," Chloe replied, taking a swig of orange juice, "Luckily, we're pretty good at all of those things."

"Well, we're good at snuggling and holding hands, at least," Max noted, "I don't know about you, but I'm not great at not worrying about stuff."

"Me either," Chloe admitted, "But we can start practicing today." Max giggled and smiled, glad they'd successfully switched from fretting about jobs to being playful. She didn't have any answers for "How do we find jobs?" but she sure did for "I dare you to kiss me."

"Sounds like a plan!" Max replied, "Do you want to not worry about anything here, or do you want to go be carefree in the city?" Chloe made a show of thinking.

"Let's not worry about it," she suggested, grinning, "Keep to the theme, y'know?" Max snickered.

"Sure," Max laughed, "Works for me."


	110. Afternoon in the Park

"So, is this our new cuddle park?" Chloe asked lazily, lying out on the grass and resting her head on Max's lap.

"There are a lot of parks in Seattle," Max observed, playing with Chloe's hair, "I don't see why we should pick just the one." Chloe chuckled a little.

"Fair," she conceded, "But, I mean, it's already a special place for you, right? So might as well make it a special place for us, too."

"Seems a little early to settle on one, though," Max noted, "But it can definitely be _a_ cuddle park."

Just like they'd talked about on Monday, Chloe and Max had been taking this first week back in Seattle easy. That first day they'd wound up just lying around Max's house, watching movies and reading in the den together. Since then, though, they'd been trying to actually get out into town, which was how it happened that they were resting on the grass in Gas Works Park, just enjoying the breeze and the Seattle skyline.

Much as she liked the abstract idea of starting to really build their life together, Chloe did find herself sort of shrinking from the task in practice. Why just take it easy the first week? Why not the first month? Hell, they didn't have any debts hanging over them. Might as well take a gap year, right?

That wasn't very practical, though, and Chloe knew that procrastinating wasn't going to get them anywhere. Still, the prospect of looking for work felt pretty daunting. There wasn't a whole hell of a lot Chloe was qualified to actually do, she had realized when she thought about it, and that sort of threw a wrench into the whole thing. Everyone had to start somewhere, but _some_ kind of marketable quality would have been useful.

At least her rap sheet wasn't likely to bite her in the ass when it came to filling out job apps, though. For all she'd hated living in backwater Arcadia Bay, one of the bright sides had been that the small town police department was pretty willing to just let her off with warnings or misdemeanors when they'd crossed paths with her. She was still a high school dropout with blue hair and a pretty notable period of unemployment, but at least she didn't have any felonies on her record.

It would all work out in the end, Chloe tried to tell herself. Future-Max had made it sound like their future ultimately wound up being a pretty comfortable one, so she had that to look forward to. Somehow, they'd find a way to pay the bills and actually build their life together. In the meantime, they could afford to take an hour or two to lie around in the park, Chloe decided.

"I guess it'll sort of develop naturally," Chloe remarked, "Lighthouse Overlook Park had a lot of history for us, so it makes sense why that ended up being our special place."

"It's also objectively the best park in Arcadia Bay," Max added, a cheeky grin spreading on her face.

"What are you basing that on?" Chloe asked, raising an eyebrow and snorting a quietly. She didn't disagree, but she was interested to hear Max's reasoning.

"It has the most green space of any actual park," Max explained, "As opposed to places where Arcadia Bay just sort of butts up against woods. Those are nice, too, but they're not _parks_."

"It's got a grassy part, a woodsy part, a beach-y part, and the cliff," she went on, stroking Chloe's hair as she spoke, "So you can enjoy different environments, depending on what you're feeling like. Wanna throw a frisbee? Go on down to the beach. Need some space for a soccer game? You can run around in the field. Thinking of taking a nice walk? You can enjoy the little path through the trees and up the hill. If you want to just enjoy the breeze and the view, you can sit up on the cliff for a bit. It's got everything."

"Lighthouse Overlook Park is also far enough from the town center that it feels peaceful," Max continued, "Local traffic doesn't usually pass by it, and it sort of juts out into the ocean a bit, so the coast road doesn't actually run close by." Chloe chuckled quietly.

"Sounds like you've really thought this through," she observed, winking up at Max.

"Oh, I have," Max replied, shrugging a little, "That last week in Arcadia Bay, I got my nostalgia on. There wasn't a whole lot to actually do in classes that week, so my mind could wander a lot. It wasn't an entirely fair competition, though. Like, the _reason_ I love that park is entirely because it's so full of memories with you."

"Good memories, I hope," Chloe teased.

"Mostly good," Max answered, "I guess the day of the big storm isn't a great memory. It was all dark and scary and we were both crying…"

"It turned out pretty well, though," Chloe noted, glancing past Max for a moment to take in the light grey Seattle sky, "That was the turning point, where we sort of locked in that we'd be together forever." She returned her attention to Max's face, looking into the brunette's eyes.

"True," Max agreed, "So yeah, like I said, mostly good memories." Smiling and bending her knees to life Chloe's head to meet her, she leaned down and pressed a kiss to Chloe's forehead.

"I love you," Chloe breathed after another moment of just staring up into those blue eyes.

"I love you, too," Max whispered back, "I'll always love you." Chloe sighed and smiled, closing her eyes and just enjoying the breeze and the feeling of Max's hands through her hair and on her face. She loved when Max used words like "always" or "forever." Maybe it was just the echoes of her insecurities still bouncing around her mind, but the idea that Max was planning on a future with her still made Chloe feel giddy.

"Always," Chloe repeatedly softly, "Where do you think we'll be for always?" They'd agreed not to get into any serious discussion about the immediate future for the week, but Chloe hoped her tone clued Max in that she wasn't asking for solid plans so much as romantic fantasy.

"Hmmm," Max responded, "Well, maybe we'll move around. We could put a trailer hitch on your truck and tow a tinyhouse. Stay in Seattle for a while, stay in Portland for a while, maybe drive down to Eugene or up to Vancouver, if we want."

"That would be fun," Chloe remarked, "Especially if you're doing photography stuff, we could probably be pretty mobile." She opened her eyes again and turned her head to look out over the water. "What if we lived in a houseboat? _On_ a houseboat? Whatever."

"Ooh, that would be cool," Max agreed, "I think houseboats are really cute. We wouldn't have to worry about mowing a lawn or anything, which would be nice."

"And we could go swimming whenever we wanted," Chloe added.

"Well, probably not, actually," Max noted, "Like, not if we lived in any of these ones, I don't think." She motioned out to the houseboats they could see dotting the shore. "Lake Union is a little dirty, and I figure any even kind of urban place where there's houseboats probably is, too. But we could kayak." She pointed to a pair of kayakers out on the water.

"I've never been kayaking," Chloe remarked, lazily sitting up and then scooting around so she was sitting close beside Max, "But it would be cool to try. Oh, and what if we got jobs near the waterfront? We could kayak to work!" Max snorted.

"I think that could actually work, with the right combination of factors," Max replied, "There wouldn't be much actually in the way, so you'd make good time. Like, when was the last time you saw a traffic jam on the water?"

"I guess there must be, someplace," Chloe mused, "I mean, I bet the Panama Canal has to be pretty strict about everyone waiting their turn and stuff. But I feel like there mostly hasn't been serious gridlock on the water since _Huckleberry Finn_ was published." Max chuckled and leaned over to rest her head on Chloe's shoulder.

"Remember that stuff we talked about way back in October?" she asked softly, "A couple days after we'd gotten home, about how one day we'll have a house with a fireplace, and a wine cellar, and a forest backyard, and a balcony overlooking the ocean?" Chloe smiled at the memory, turning to press a kiss to the top of Max's head.

"Yeah," Chloe sighed, putting an arm around Max, "I'm not sure how much of that we could make work with a houseboat. The fireplace, maybe, but the backyard that opens out onto the forest would be tricky without a yard at all. The wine cellar might have to get rounded down to just a wine _room_. I think of cellars as being underground… It'd be easy to get a view of the water from a houseboat, though." Max snickered.

"Wouldn't really be 'overlooking the ocean,' though," she noted, "But I guess we've got some time before we have to settle on where we want to end up living."

"At least until the end of the week," Chloe agreed, "No need to worry about it right now."

"Eh, I wouldn't say we're 'worrying' right now," Max stated, shifting around and leaning around to face Chloe, "I'm not, anyway. I think imagining the future with you is fun."

"Me too," Chloe breathed, wrapping her arms around Max and pulling her close for a kiss, "Me too."


	111. In-depth

The first week back in Seattle pretty quickly turned into a first _month_ back in Seattle. In a corner of Max's head, she thought that maybe she should have been trying to find a job, but she really just couldn't be bothered right then. She still felt like she was coming down from high school, and she didn't want to rush into the stress of a job hunt. That was an excuse, of course, and Max knew that if she could stretch a week of relaxation into a month, she could easily wind up stretching a month into two, three, or more, and that wasn't ideal, either. She's get to it _some time_ , she figured. Just not quite yet.

Chloe had been settling in pretty well, so far as Max could tell. Back in the fall she'd kept her clothes kind of piled in a corner, but this time she'd actually unpacked them into Max's dresser and closet! Well, Max thought, now it was _their_ dresser and _their_ closet. In _their_ room. They'd sort of started calling it that by the time they left for Blackwell in January, but even then they'd both had their own, separate bedrooms to be going back to, full of their own, separate stuff. Chloe wasn't just staying with Max for a while this time, though. They were living together!

Living together rent-free, too, which was pretty great. Much as Max loved the _idea_ of having their own place, the actual practicalities of finding a place to live were daunting once she started looking into them in depth. That was part of the reason she was content to put off finding a job and striking out on their own for a while. She'd always known that Seattle was an expensive city, but browsing apartments online recently had really hammered home just how expensive the place really was, and Portland wasn't much better. Even for a studio, they'd be looking at $800 on the lowest end, it seemed like, and that was before utilities, paid parking for Chloe's truck, groceries, and all the other expenses she couldn't think of but knew would inevitably pile up. Split two ways, maybe that wasn't really all _that_ much, but it sure seemed like a lot for an eighteen year old and a twenty year old to reliably come up with every month.

It didn't really matter all that much if she and Chloe started looking for work and apartments today, tomorrow, or in a week, Max concluded as she lounged on the porch swing. The glass doors to the kitchen were open, and she could pick up the smell fresh baked cookies wafting out. Sure enough, Chloe stepped out onto the patio a minute or so later, carrying a plate of cookies and looking pleased with herself.

"Behold!" Chloe exclaimed as she sat on the swing beside Max, "I come bearing treats!" Max smiled and took a cookie from the plate, taking a bite as Chloe looked on.

"Good, as always," she reported, hastily scarfing down the rest of the cookie. Chloe had gotten pretty good at baking by the time they'd left Seattle in January, and she'd only been improving since then. Since getting home for the summer, she'd been churning out a steady supply of cookies to snack on during their days lying around the house. Granted, winter felt like a more idyllic time for cookies and cuddles, but Max figured there wasn't really any _bad_ time for cookies and cuddles. Besides, Seattle summers weren't so hot as to preclude body heat and warm baked goods, so it all worked out.

"I don't have many skills, but I have gotten to the point where I can reliably bake a pretty good cookie," Chloe agreed, picking one up off the plate and biting into it herself, "So, I mean, I've got that going for me."

"Your skill as a baker is one of your more marketable qualities, yes," Max noted, grabbing another cookie.

"'Chloe Price: Baker' sure sounds better than 'Chloe Price: Juvenile Delinquent,'" Chloe agreed, "It's less punk rock, but whatever."

"How punk rock is being a juvenile delinquent, though, really?" Max wondered aloud, "Unless, like, you really were all busy smashing fascism and the patriarchy and stuff like that while I was living in Seattle…" Chloe snorted and shook her head.

"Sadly, I was not nearly that constructive," Chloe admitted, "I managed to set a couple trash can fires and shoplifted a bunch of crap, but in retrospect I don't think any of that counts as raging against anything even resembling the machine. Like, I doubt Seven Eleven's corporate HQ was brought to its knees by the assorted snack foods and knick-knacks I lifted over the years."

"Whether or not it's 'punk rock' or whatever, I really like your cookies," Max remarked, scooting over to nestle in beside Chloe, "If you want, I can just not tell any of your rock and roll friends you like baking sweets." Chloe laughed a little.

"Eh, no need to do that," she replied, "I don't have much in the way of 'rock and roll friends' right this second, anyway. I mean, there were people I got along okay with in what passed for the punk scene in the area around Arcadia Bay, but I don't think we're gonna stay in any sort of contact now that I'm up here in Seattle. I guess I've been keeping up with Liv and Lonnie, though, and they're arguably rock and roll friends."

"Yeah, I'd count them," Max agreed, "Like, we met them because we went to punk rock shows."

"Either way, I figure it's safe to tell them and Sam that I bake cookies," Chloe decided, "None of them seem into posturing and gate-keeping."

"Well, that's good," Max noted, "They all seem like neat people." It occurred to Max that neither she nor Chloe had a lot of friends readily available. Chloe hadn't exactly been describing a vibrant social life back when they were in Arcadia Bay, granted, but she didn't know _anyone_ here in Seattle. Max at least had friends from high school in the area, but most of them would be moving away for college, if she understood their Facebook posts correctly. Besides, without the uniting force of school to keep them together, Max imagined they'd drift apart pretty quick. Having friends based on something _besides_ proximity, in the form of Liv, Lonnie, and Sam, was nice.

"Definitely not the sort of people who would shun us for baking or being all artsy-fartsy," Chloe agreed, putting her arm around Max, "Which is a relief, because I bake and you are artsy-fartsy." Max snorted.

"'Artsy-fartsy' sounds like how you'd describe a fifty year old who scrapbooks," she remarked, laughing a little, "I'm not really _known_ yet, but I've got a portfolio and formal training and alleged talent and everything! I'm, like, a _serious_ artist!"

"Ooh, well excuse me," Chloe teased, bringing her hands up to make the "look out, we've got a badass" gesture. They both snickered and took another cookie.

"But yeah, having friends who aren't just the best available friends based on proximity is pretty cool," Max noted, "Then again, you and me first started hanging out because we were in the same daycare, and we grew up to be more than just proximity friends."

"Oh yeah, way more," Chloe confirmed, nodding vigorously, "We're all, like, in love and shit."

"'In love and shit,'" Max repeated, laughing a little to herself, "Yeah, that's accurate. Not super in-depth, but accurate." Chloe had a tendency to understate things, she'd found, and the effect was frequently amusing. They were undoubtedly in love, sure, but that hardly described their connection. They'd known each other forever. They'd run away together in the middle of a storm that they both thought was going to level their hometown, and which could have been the end of the goddamn world, for all they knew. Max had even thought she'd had the power to _stop_ that town or world ending storm, but she'd chosen to save Chloe instead.

"I thought we were still in relaxation mode," Chloe explained, taking another cookie, "So I figured there was no need to actually go in-depth. I can if you want, though."

"Hmmm," Max replied, closing her eyes and settling in a little more against Chloe, "I think I'd be happy to hear you go in-depth about how in love we are. If you don't feel like it would throw off your relaxation groove, at least."

"Well, I'll see what I can do," Chloe murmured, setting the plate on the ground and starting to stroke Max's hair.

"Max Caulfield, I am very, very in love with you," she began, tilting Max's head back to kiss her face, "I have been in love with as long as I've been _able_ to be in love, and I think I probably will be for as long as I live."

"I will always be with you," Chloe went on, her breath warm against Max's ear and cheek as she whispered, "I want to share a home, a bed, and a life with you, forever."

"I'm in love with your sweet, kind heart," she continued, "I'm in love with your passion for photography, and the way your face lights up when you start talking about pictures. I'm in love with your sleepy blue eyes first thing in the morning and the way you hold me tight when you're falling asleep at night. I'm in love with how excited you get about watching dorky movies, and the way you sing and play guitar when you forget anyone might hear." Max felt herself blushing a bit, but shrugged it off tried to just enjoy Chloe's words and touch.

"I'm in love with the way your cheeks turn pink when you realize that I hear you playing," Chloe added, kissing Max's cheek for effect, "And I'm in love with how you always make me feel the most like my real self, like you know me better than anyone else ever has or ever will."

"I'm in love with you," Max whispered, turning a little to nuzzle into the crook of Chloe's neck, "I'm in love with this woman I know so well." Chloe made a pleased little hum of appreciation.

"I'm in love with how intent you get about making cookies," Max declared, "I'm in love with how thoughtful you are about supporting me and taking care of me. I'm in love with your heartbeat that soothes me to sleep, and I'm in love with the kisses you give me in the mornings. I'm in love with how resting in your arms makes me feel so at peace, and how my heart has known it's yours ever since it skipped a beat in the Blackwell pool." She half opened her eyes and tilted her head to look up at Chloe. "I am completely in love with you, Chloe Price." With that, she leaned in an touched her lips to Chloe's, enjoying a long, gentle kiss as she pressed herself close.

"So, was that in-depth enough for you?" Chloe teased once the kiss was broken, still resting her forehead against Max's.

"Well, I guess we illustrated our point that proximity friends don't have to _stay_ proximity friends," Max noted, pretending to consider, "But I think we probably have time to go even more in-depth. You know, if you don't mind _really_ getting into the minutia about how in love we are. To better make the point, obviously."

"Not at all," Chloe murmured, eyes twinkling, "I don't mind one bit."


	112. Old-timey

"This place feels all old-timey," Chloe observed, looking around the waiting area of King Street Station, "Except for some of the seats." She motioned to a set of metal framed, cushioned chairs across the aisle from the wooden bench she and Max were occupying. "But, like, the building has an antique feel to it."

"Well, we _are_ still in the older part of town," Max noted, "In general, anyway. This kind of hugs the border between Pioneer Square and the International District, but I'm pretty sure the building is, like, at least a hundred years old. So's Union Station across the way."

"I never really think of people taking trains," Chloe mused, "I mean, they obviously do. Here we are. But in my head train travel stops being a big thing after, like, World War Two."

"They take a train in _Before Sunrise_ ," Max pointed out, "But that's Europe, so I guess it's different. Maybe more people bought cars in the Fifties, or planes got more popular. Or maybe people moved out to suburbs and downtown train stations were less convenient. I dunno. I agree, though. About trains and train stations feeling old-timey."

At about the midpoint of the summer, Lonnie had invited Chloe and Max to come down and visit her and Sam in Portland for a bit. It was a pretty cool offer all on its own, and since Chloe and Max didn't have much going on in Seattle, anyway, it had made sense to take her up on it. Chloe, for one, was always excited for a chance to go hang out in Portland, and Max seemed to like it there, too, so it was a win all around.

Lonnie and Sam had offered to pay for train tickets, since the parking situation by their house was apparently kind of tight. Chloe _enjoyed_ road trips, of course, but she did have to concede that it was convenient to not have to worry about paying for gas or finding a place to park. From what she'd seen, Portland's buses, streetcars, and trains made it so she and Max could probably get anywhere they needed to be pretty easily, anyway. That, and they'd have hosts who could help them get places and show them around, too.

Chloe couldn't remember the last time she'd taken a train. When she thought about it, she was pretty sure she never had. Not a big, intercity train, anyway. She'd taken the LINK in Seattle with Max a bunch of times, but that was different. The closest thing she'd ever really experienced was taking a Greyhound bus one time years ago, trying to run away. She hadn't covered her tracks very well, and there were state troopers waiting to intercept her at the second stop on the way down to San Francisco. Mom had driven down to pick her up, and they hadn't talked at all the whole way home. Or, well, Mom had, but Chloe had refused to respond.

Hopefully this wouldn't be as much of a trainwreck. Heh. "Trainwreck." Oh God. "Trainwreck." When they'd made their plans with Lonnie, Chloe hadn't been thinking of her close call with a train in October, but now she found herself averting her eyes from the tracks as best as she could. She shook her head to clear the thought as she and Max boarded. No trains were going to run her over while she was _in_ a train.

"You okay?" Max asked as they took their seats, sliding in first and taking the window, "You're doing that thing you do when you're nervous."

"What thing?" Chloe replied.

"The thing," Max explained, not entirely helpfully, "Where you sorta tense up and look really hard at nothing in particular, because you're trying not to look at something else."

"Okay, fair enough," Chloe conceded, settling down in the aisle seat beside Max, "It was occurring to me that our last experience with trains didn't go so well, and so I was swallowing a little panic attack there." Max nodded.

"Yeah, I thought something similar," she noted, "I saved you, though. I'll save you again, if I have to." She lifted the arm rest between their seats and leaned over against Chloe, putting an arm around her.

"Thanks," Chloe murmured, "I mean, I think trains are actually supposed to be a pretty safe form of travel, all things considered."

"Doesn't mean you haven't had scary experiences with them," Max replied, "I don't want you to worry or anything, but go ahead and feel your feelings. You can't _not_ feel whatever your feelings are, after all."

"That's deep," Chloe remarked, smiling and scoffing as she put her arm around Max and shifted a little so the brunette could snuggle in better, "You'd think I'd have thought of that. I have, as you know, a lot of feelings about a lot of things."

"Even when you try not to be, you're pretty expressive about your emotions," Max stated, "And, like, I'm not any kind of expert on your life while I was gone, but I feel like a lot of people tried to make you be _not_ expressive about your emotions, for whatever reasons. And I feel like that just complicated them and made you emote more, but it's also why 'just feel your feelings' wasn't something that occurred to you at first. Because you'd sort of been told not to?"

"I mean, that's not an inaccurate description of my teenage years," Chloe replied, giving Max a gentle squeeze, "I've never really had it laid out like that, but that fits."

"So, bringing it back, I get why you're feeling tense about the train, and you can feel tense if you need," Max declared, "But I'm here to cuddle you and talk with you, if that will help at all." The train began to pull out of the station.

"Yeah, that all sounds like it'll probably help," Chloe agreed, kissing the top of Max's head.

It didn't take long for Chloe to calm down and push the memories of that close call from her head. Once the train was actually out of the station, and she couldn't actually _see_ any tracks, there wasn't as much to bring it up, and the scenery out the window was actually pretty nice to look at. Having Max snuggled up next to her helped, too. Once they were out of the city and just coasting along down the southern part of Puget Sound and then through fields, her mind had more or less settled back down.

"So, does being _on_ a train feel as old-timey as waiting for one?" Max asked lazily an hour or so into the ride. Chloe smiled and chuckled a little, amused at the callback.

"Eh, not as much," she reported, "This train's got, like, air conditioning and cushioned seats and crap, but not really any of those train compartments you see in _Harry Potter_ or movies about, like, the eighteen hundreds."

"Yeah, it does lack that sort of Victorian feel," Max agreed, "But, I mean, it's Amtrak, not the Orient Express."

"It's less nostalgic, but at least we don't have to worry about bandits," Chloe noted, "All hella riding up next to the train and jumping on to steal all our gold and valuables." Max cocked an eyebrow.

"What, like _The Great Train Robbery_ or something?" she asked, laughing a little.

"Well, it sounds like less of a viable threat when you say it with that tone," Chloe admitted, laughing too, "But, like, bad cowboys with six-shooters and stuff. I've never actually _seen_ that movie, so I guess I don't really know if that's in it, but that's what I was imagining."

"You're not missing much," Max assured her, "It was a pretty big deal when it came out, but movies have really come a long way since then. Unless you're interested at all in film history, I'd give it a pass."

"I sure hope movies have improved some since _The Great Train Robbery_ ," Chloe remarked, snorting, "Wasn't that, like, the first movie _ever_?"

"Nah, not quite," Max replied, shaking her head, "But it was the first movie that you could really call a 'Western,' I think. The reason it's important is because of, like, technical stuff and filmmaking techniques. Same with _Birth of a Nation._ "

"Haven't seen that one, either," Chloe noted.

" _Definitely_ not missing much there," Max declared, " _Birth of a Nation_ was the first movie to have big battle scenes like from _Braveheart_ or _Lord of the Rings_ , but it also kind of brought the Ku Klux Klan back to life."

"So, a lot of highs and lows with that one, is what I'm getting here," Chloe stated, "I guess the takeaway is that you've gotta crawl before you can run. And also your crawling might be racist?" Max laughed.

"Well, the takeaway I'd been going for in the beginning was that no vaudeville bandits are going to attack the train," Max explained, "Because they're not real except in old movies, and we're in real life, _not_ an old movie."

"And thank God for that," Chloe replied, snickering, "Didn't old movies have rules that even married couples could only sleep in separate beds or something?" She tightened her grip around Max and leaned in to brush her nose against the brunette's.

"I think that was a thing for a while, yeah," Max said softly, smiling as she stared into Chloe's eyes, "In _I Love Lucy_ and stuff like that. All kinds of FCC guidelines about suggestive behavior."

"Suggestive behavior?" Chloe asked, keeping her voice light and teasing, "Stuff like, for example, me kissing you right here?" Max giggled.

"I think kissing was allowed under the Hays Code," she murmured, "But I don't think _we'd_ be allowed to kiss on film." Chloe could feel Max's breath as she spoke, warm against her face.

"Lucky for us, I'm a rule-breaker," Chloe whispered before leaning in to press her lips to Max's. That earned a happy little squeak from the brunette, who snuggled closer and wrapped her arms around Chloe.

"Yes, lucky for us," Max agreed once they'd broken the kiss, a giddy smile on her face as she nuzzled against Chloe's neck and shoulder, "I think it's safe to say we fit much better into twenty first century life than mid-twentieth century film. Two Sapphic young ladies, with a penchant for breaking and entering, sometimes foul mouths, and one with a history of smoking 'The Pot?' Forties Hollywood would have had a meltdown." Chloe grinned.

"What can I say? We're a couple of rebels," she replied, squeezing Max gently once more, "'Live your life in a way that would offend old-timey Hollywood censors' feels like a pretty good motto."


	113. Grown Up

They hadn't said so explicitly, but Max was pretty sure that Lonnie and Sam had invited her and Chloe down to visit them in Portland so the two of them could get a sense for what that would be like, if they decided to take Lonnie up on her offer of long-term room and board in the city. Max had agreed with Chloe to do a thorough search for work in Seattle before calling in that particular favor, but it wouldn't hurt to just come for a visit. Especially considering it had been an invitation offered freely, she didn't feel too bad about taking them up on it.

Sam had been there to pick them up at the train station, and it hadn't been too long a drive to her and Lonnie's place. Max had had an image in her mind of the two of them living above Lonnie's bar, but as it turned out the pair owned a nice little townhouse south of downtown. The first story was just a garage and storage, and the second had an open floorplan, with the kitchen on one end sort of giving way to the dining area, which in turn opened onto a living room with a couple of couches and a fireplace. The third floor had a master suite on one end, and then a couple bedrooms with a second bathroom between them. One of the extra bedrooms had been converted into a sort of office or study, where Sam said she did her writing, and the other was the guest room where Max and Chloe would be staying.

Once Max and Chloe had dropped off their stuff in their room, they and Sam headed out for some late lunch. Since they'd be going out for dinner that evening with Lonnie, Sam said, they ended up just going out to a local spot. Not that that was a disappointment, really. Max was pretty happy to try new things or enjoy a fancy dinner, but she'd never entirely shaken off that part of herself that could be happy with down home-y diner food for every meal. It was probably the Arcadia Bay part of her, she decided. Plus, she recalled as she sat down in the booth next to Chloe, she had some pretty good memories associated with diners and dives.

"After lunch, we're pretty unscheduled until Lonnie finishes up with work for the day," Sam explained once they'd settled in and made their drink orders, "So, we can go see some sights, or just go back to the house if you want to rest or unwind or whatever. Traveling can be tiring."

"I'm feeling up for looking around, if you don't mind being our tour guide," Chloe replied, putting her arm around Max's waist.

"Yeah, that sounds fun," Max agreed, nodding and leaning over to rest against Chloe, "I mean, we'll have plenty of time to relax at night and stuff."

"Oh, to be eighteen again," Sam chuckled, "I still go on adventures and stay out late sometimes, I guess, but napping has definitely become a more common pastime for me than it was when I was in college. Might be because I just drink less coffee now, though, I suppose."

"Does Lonnie really work a nine to five, though?" Max asked, "Running a bar seems like it would be mostly evening work." Sam shrugged.

"Eh, at this point Lonnie's got people to manage nightly operations," she explained, waving a hand, "She works on longer term logistics and stuff during the day, like doing inventory and auditioning acts, but her hands-on work during business hours is mainly MCing music acts and other events stuff like that. Keeps her out late a couple nights a week, usually, but it's not like when she was bussing or bartending. Those were iffy hours."

"Yeah, mismatched schedules can be a bitch," Chloe remarked. Max thought back to how rough it had been suddenly having to fall asleep alone again in January, and it occurred to her that she'd already gotten used to sleeping next to Chloe again in the month or so since graduation. In her mind she had an image of one or the other of them falling into bed at two thirty in the morning, then sleeping in while the other left for work in the morning. At a certain point they'd probably have to take what they could get, as far as work went, but Max really hoped that they wouldn't wind up just never seeing each other. Sharing a home and a bed but never being awake with each other at the same time felt crueler than just having to spend their weeks apart. Then again, Sam and Lonnie had clearly survived a period of evening shifts, so it probably wouldn't be the end of the world.

"Making my own hours helps," Sam noted, "And I was in college then grad school for a lot of the most chaotic scheduling, so half the time I was up late, anyway. We made it work."

Their server came by to take drink orders, and the conversation wandered from there. Sam asked them both for details on what they'd been up to since Easter, which forced Max to admit she hadn't been up to much of anything. Well, aside from graduating high school, but there wasn't actually all that much to say about that. "I was in school, and now it's over." That was pretty much the extent of it. It wasn't like anybody _expected_ her to have done a lot in the last couple months, right? Mild embarrassment aside, she definitely preferred having nothing to report to the craziness of last October.

After lunch they took a walk around a couple nice nature trails close by, which was pretty nice. Max tried not to slow them down by taking a lot of pictures, but the scenery was too nice to pass up in some places. Chloe was used to that, though, and Sam just shrugged it off and pointed out that she'd been through these parks several times, so she was happy to just take them at Max and Chloe's pace. After that was reiterate a few times, Max didn't feel _too_ bad about stopping to snap pictures, either artsy ones with her camera or just mementos with her phone. Max didn't need dozens of polaroids documenting every fun thing she and Chloe did on their trip, but digital photos to sift through later didn't cost a thing.

Their leisurely tour of Sam's go-to nature trails occupied them well enough for the rest of the afternoon. The weather was nice, with a lightly overcast Portland sky stopping the sun from beating down on them while they were in the open, and a nice breeze keeping the temperature pretty mild. For her part, Max had a good time wandering the parks. Sure, there were plenty of green spaces in Seattle, too, but it was nice to sort of get a look at what would be at her fingertips if she and Chloe wound up in Portland. Chloe sure seemed to be enjoying herself, too, which was a plus.

Lonnie got home not too long after Max, Chloe, and Sam had returned to the house, and there was another round of greetings. After Lonnie had relaxed for a little bit, the four of them headed out for downtown to find some dinner. It being a Wednesday afternoon, they'd decided that they probably didn't need reservations anywhere, and that they could find _someplace_ that would have a table without much trouble. There were a _lot_ of restaurants in Portland, Lonnie and Sam assured, and so they'd definitely find something up their alley.

Sure enough, they ended up getting seated at the Yard House without any trouble. It wasn't a hidden gem of Portland or anything- there was another location in Seattle, after all, and Max was pretty sure there were plenty of others, too- but that didn't make it any less good. Really, Max appreciated winding up someplace she was sort of familiar with. For one thing, it meant she knew what she would and wouldn't like, and could probably point Chloe in a similar direction. For another, it helped her ease more into the spirit of thinking of Portland not just as a fun place to visit, but a potential home.

Lonnie rehashed some of the conversation they'd had with Sam over lunch, asking how post-high school life was treating them. Just like with Sam, Max felt a twinge of embarrassment that she'd just been relaxing for the last month and change without anything to really show for it. Both Sam and Lonnie seemed pretty understanding about that, though, and so she tried to tell herself it was fine. Neither she nor Chloe had any solid plans for the future, either, but their hosts tried to be reassuring.

"I had no plans for what'd come after Reed," Sam pointed out, "Even that I took semester by semester. After that I just stuck around working my way up from my old work-study job until my stories sort of took off."

"I lived in a punk house for a while, just fighting people for couch space before Sam and me could afford a studio together," Lonnie added, "My band never really 'made it big,' but the bussing, waitressing, and bartending I did while I waited for a big break ultimately just built up until I could call in enough favors and experience to take over the place I've got now."

"Like I said before, there's no need to have everything all planned out," she went on, "Like, it can help, but you might just end up doing something else, anyway. I guess that's not _great_ advice. Don't bank on just stumbling ass-first into a lasting career or anything. But don't _over_ think it, either."

"Overthinking is a bit of a specialty of mine," Max admitted, "I'll try to find that middle ground, though."

"I mean, taking a few months off like you're doing is a good start," Sam noted, "You'll figure it out and land where you should be, eventually. Or maybe not. But hopefully."

"It helps to not have any actual responsibilities or anything," Chloe remarked, "Me and Max can both pretty much fit our whole lives into a single room at this point."

"That's probably for the best," Lonnie said, "When everything I owned could fit in a single duffel bag, moving was a lot less of an ordeal."

"I don't know," Sam replied, smirking, "When everything you owned could fit in a single duffel bag, I seem to remember moving entailed making your band help us steal Tommy's pullout couch under cover of night."

"It wasn't _his_ couch, it was a couch that Kim had bought at a garage sale and then left in the house when _she_ moved," Lonnie countered, "Tommy didn't own jack in that house, he'd just been staying there the longest and acted like that meant everything was his by default."

"Stolen or not, it was a lot better than sleeping on the floor," Sam stated, "So there's that. My point is that decluttering is all well and good and all, but ultimately a home should probably have furniture and crap." Lonnie rolled her eyes and scoffed, but grinned all the same.

"Oh, that's just stuff an _apartment_ should have," she insisted, leaning over towards Sam, "A home just needs love." She offered a kiss, which Sam accepted.

"That's how she always gets me," Sam laughed, shrugging and resting back in her seat, "I can't really argue with that kind of cutesy semantic quibble." Chloe scootched over slightly to rest against Max, and Max felt herself glow a little. They'd said stuff like that to each other pretty regularly, so it was fun to hear other people felt the same way. _Grown up_ people, too, not just other teens and twenty year olds. She didn't have any real reason to go around comparing her and Chloe's relationship to other people's- They _knew_ they made it, after all- but it was still reassuring to see that they could last and still be saying cutesy stuff to each other after a few decades together. She put her arm around Chloe and nestled in close.

For the rest of dinner, they managed to skirt around actually discussing Max and Chloe's plans, or lack thereof, for the future. Chloe and Lonnie got into some pretty excited conversation about music, which gave Max some time to just focus on her meal and enjoy being out on the town with her beloved. A little while later the discussion opened up some such that Max and Sam could make some contributions, and the subject wandered from there to movies, fun stories, and planning for the next few days of the visit.

It wasn't too late when the four of them returned to Lonnie and Sam's house, but Max felt sleepy all the same. They'd been out walking for quite a while that afternoon, and traveling, even if it was just sitting in a train, was always pretty tiring. That worked out alright, though. She didn't plan to wake up at the crack of dawn or anything, but Max hoped to wake up at a reasonable hour come the morning, to make the most of the day exploring the city some more.

They stayed up a little longer chatting in the living room, but within an hour all four of them were yawning. Goodnights were exchanged and they split up between their respective rooms. Lonnie mentioned something about her and Sam being sound sleepers, and Max wasn't entirely sure whether that was just an offhand remark or coded permission for her and Chloe to make, ahem, full use of the guest room. She was feeling just kind of sleepy and cuddly that evening, regardless, so she could figure that out later. Plus, time travel was pretty handy for fixing faux pas.

"It's weird to have a nice bed that's not also in, like, a hotel," Max remarked once she and Chloe were snuggled up under the covers, shifting around to find her comfy spot.

"And to have a bedroom without posters taped to the wall," Chloe added, a smirk in her voice, "These posters are in _frames_. This room is so grown up."

"There's even potpourri in the bathroom," Max noted, feigning astonishment.

"We should get potpourri in our bathroom back home," Chloe suggested, "I mean, your bathroom. At your house. Sorry." Max smiled and shrugged.

"It _is_ our bathroom," Max replied, giving Chloe a gentle squeeze, "We both live in that bedroom and use that bathroom, so it's ours, not just mine." She felt Chloe press a kiss to her scalp.

"You're really sweet," the taller girl murmured, "So sweet and kind."

"I try," Max cooed, giving a happy little sigh as Chloe ran fingers through her hair, "But I mean it. We live together in that room, therefore it is _our_ room."

"Well, it's full of love," Chloe noted, "Which, as has been established, is the main ingredient for a home."

"It sure is," Max agreed, nuzzling against Chloe's shoulder, "Any place I share with you is home enough for me." Chloe was silent for a moment, just stroking Max's hair and holding her close.

"I'm so in love with you, Max," she whispered after a few seconds, "You're all I'll ever need."

"You're all I'll ever need, too," Max agreed, blushing and smiling.

"We can still get potpourri and nice, framed posters and other grown up shit, though, right?" Chloe asked, "Even though we don't _need_ it?" Max snorted.

"Yes," she assured, snickering a little, "We can still get grown up shit."


	114. Fields of Gold

"You'll remember me, when the west wind blows," Max sang softly, head resting on Chloe's stomach, "Among the fields of barley. You can tell the sun in her jealous sky when we walked in fields of gold." They were lying in bed in the Portland guest room, relaxing after fooling around some. Max had been a little nervous at first, not being sure what the etiquette was for sex in someone else's house, but she couldn't resist Chloe's allure. That was what Chloe would say later if she wanted to tease Max, anyway. Really, the brunette had probably just come to the same conclusion that Chloe had, that being that Lonnie and Sam were nice, cool, and wouldn't really care so long as Chloe and Max washed the sheets before they left.

Their Portland vacation had been going pretty well. After the first day, they'd gone and hiked around at Multnomah Falls, visited the Freakybuttrue Peculiarium, played arcade games at Ground Kontrol, and went to a show at Lonnie's place, on top of just doing a lot of exploring of the city. A few days in, Chloe was glad her initial gut feeling that she liked Portland was proving accurate. Having guides was convenient, as it turned out. She wasn't feeling like a local quite yet, but she could confirm that she _could_ make this place her home, if that was what she and Max agreed on.

That decision was a long way off, though. Chloe assumed it was, anyway. It would be a long time before they could afford a house, and Chloe thought of that as the point where you had to kind of commit to one place for an extended period of time. Right then, Chloe was a lot more interested in just resting on this big, comfy bed, stroking Max's hair and skin, and listening to her. Pillow talk was nice, but it was a fun treat to get an afterglow song.

"So she took her love, for to gaze a while," the brunette went on, lightly running a hand over Chloe's thigh and up to her waist, "Among the fields of barley. In her arms she fell as her hair came down among the fields of gold." Max always changed the lyrics so "his" was "her" when she sang this song, Chloe had noticed. She hadn't explicitly said so, but Chloe liked to think it was so that it was about them.

"Will you stay with me?" Max continued, rolling over to face Chloe and smiling up at her, "Will you be my love among the fields of barley?" She crawled up to come even with Chloe. "You can tell the sun in her jealous sky when we walked in fields of gold."

"I never made promises lightly," she cooed, touching a kiss to Chloe's cheek, "And there have been some that I've broken." She propping herself up over Chloe, she leaned down to touch their foreheads together. "But I swear in the days still left we'll walk in fields of gold." Trailing off before the repeat line, she brought her lips to Chloe's, staying there for a second and humming the last bars of the bridge.

"What, no fourth verse?" Chloe teased, smiling as Max settled on her side next to her, head propped up on an elbow.

"That one's all about years having passed and children running and stuff," she explained, shrugging, "Didn't seem relevant to the moment."

"What, and sunsets and barley fields are?" Chloe pressed, laughing, "Max, we're lying in a bed, in an air conditioned room, at night, in Portland, Oregon. Oregon's not even, like, known for farming."

"'Fields of Gold' just felt appropriate," Max mumbled, glancing away and blushing even as her smile remained on her face. Chloe raised an eyebrow and snickered.

"Max," she pressed, still giggling to herself, "Were you singing to my _bush_?" Max blushed a bit deeper.

"Well, not _to_ it," Max insisted, fiddling with her hair, "But it was what put the idea in my head, yes." Her cheeks remained pink, but she smiled and started to snicker as well.

"Oh Max, my Max," Chloe said softly, reaching a hand over to stroke the brunette's cheek, "You're so adorable. I love your mind." Max settled her hand over Chloe's.

"I'm glad I can make an impression," she murmured, turning to press a kiss to Chloe's palm, "I was worried that might have been, I dunno, really weird or something."

"You don't have to worry about being weird with me," Chloe noted, shrugging, "There's no right way to be. Some wrong ways, but no right way. I know you, and I love you. Don't fear the derp. Here," she motioned between the two of them, "you are free to derp to your heart's content."

"So it _was_ derpy, then?" Max asked. Max had never quite shaken her bedroom insecurity, Chloe thought. She'd been so nervous when they'd first started sleeping together, never mind that _she_ was the one who'd made the first move. Months of encouragement, positive reinforcement, and gentle instruction later, she was more or less confident, but every so often she still expressed a fear of being "weird." If anything, Chloe thought she could stand to be a little weirder occasionally, but she understood where Max was coming from. Or she thought she did, anyway. Nobody wants to creep out their partner, after all, but especially not someone who'd been on the receiving end of a _lot_ of pretty concentrated weirdness and creepiness.

"Hey, if my pubes move you to song, so much the better," Chloe replied, smirking and shrugging, "That's definitely the highest praise they've ever gotten, so I'll put that in the 'good derp' column." She hoped that was enough to reassure Max that everything was fine.

"Well, that's a relief," Max noted, smiling, "Should I take that as just blanket permission to sing to your crotch in the future?" She waggled her eyebrows playfully, and Chloe snickered.

"You can sing to any part of me you want any _time_ you want," Chloe stated, relieved Max was in high spirits, "But I don't know about any of this 'fields of gold' business. A patch, maybe. Just a little garden of gold or something."

"Just let me be poetic," Max insisted, rolling her eyes, "Or, let Eva Cassidy be poetic. Or Sting, I guess, but I usually listen to the Eva Cassidy version."

"I'd rather have you singing to me than Eva Cassidy _or_ Sting," Chloe replied, "For one thing, it'd be pretty awkward to have either of them in here singing bush songs to me or whatever."

"Yeah, I don't think I'd be okay with that," Max said, frowning a little, "For one thing, I'm right here, too, so would I go shower or something? Or just lie here naked, checking Instagram or whatever while they sang?"

"These are the big questions, yes," Chloe remarked, nodding and making a show of looking mock-thoughtful, "It's important to think about this stuff, because this is a thing that is totally going to happen." Max broke into a sheepish grin.

"Okay, fair point," she conceded, "But like I've said before, overthinking is my specialty. And, like, you're an adult and a sovereign human being and stuff, but I'm uncomfortable with the idea of other people coming in and singing love songs to you." Chloe snorted and raised an eyebrow.

"Max Caulfield, are you _jealous_?" Chloe teased, "Are you jealous of the celebrities who would be singing to me in this hypothetical?" Max blushed again, but managed to smile at the absurdity of the conversation.

"I mean, I know in my head that it's ridiculous," the brunette explained, "It's just that I think of singing pretty love songs to you as a 'me' thing, so it feels kind of weird for me to imagine someone else doing that, even if it _is_ just silly banter." In all honesty, Max being sort of possessive of her made Chloe's heart flutter. That probably wasn't the healthiest outlook to have in a relationship, but Chloe didn't care. She just enjoyed being special to somebody.

"Don't worry," she murmured, gently pulling Max down against herself, "I won't let either of them ever sing 'Fields of Gold' to my crotch, and I don't plan on having anyone else sing me love songs, either. I promise that that will stay just a 'you' thing."

"Thanks," Max mumbled, looking up at Chloe with those sweet blue eyes, "I'm sorry I'm so silly." Chloe shook her head.

"It's fine," she assured, "I'm happy and honored to be yours. Just yours."

"You'll still stay with me?" Max asked, climbing up a bit and nuzzling into the crook of Chloe's neck. Chloe nodded.

"Of course."

"And you'll still be my love?" Max went on, voice soft and breath hot against Chloe's skin.

"Yes," Chloe stated, grinning in anticipation, "I'll even tell the sun in her jealous sky how we walked in fields of gold." After a second's pause, Max bit down on Chloe's neck in that gentle, slightly hesitant way of hers. She stayed there for a minute or so, kissing the spot after biting it as if in apology. She didn't have anything to apologize for, of course, but Max usually followed up any kind of roughness with something soft and sweet. It was just how she was, and Chloe loved it.

"No need," Max whispered, bringing her head up to look into Chloe's eyes, "The sun will take one look at this mark and just _know_."

"So will everyone else," Chloe noted, smiling at the thought, "It just screams 'no fields of gold for anyone else but Max.'"

"Good," Max replied, a cheeky grin spreading across her face, "Like I said, I get a bit jealous."


	115. Amusing

"This place always gives me serious _Adventureland_ vibes," Liv remarked as she led Max and Chloe into Oaks Amusement Park, "You know, that movie with whosisface from _The Social Network_ and K-Stew?"

"I have a vague memory of it coming out," Chloe replied, "Must have been '09 or so? Didn't see it, I don't think." That would have been about a year after William's death, Max knew, and going out to the movies had been a pretty regular father-daughter thing for Chloe and her dad. She probably hadn't been going to the theater very much around then.

"It wasn't bad," Liv stated, "But yeah, Oaks makes me think of the place in that movie. Just an inexplicable theme park that somehow dodged the advent of Disney and Six Flags."

"Maybe because it's small and local?" Max suggested, "And cheap? Like, we could just come here on a whim. We didn't even have to drop a hundred bucks each!" Liv nodded.

"Yeah," she agreed, "That probably helps."

With Sam at a meeting with her publisher and Lonnie at work, Liv had taken on hosting duties for the day. Max was confident that she and Chloe could find their way around Portland well enough on their own, but having a guide was nice. What was especially nice was having people taking it upon themselves to pay for things. Guest etiquette probably required that she feel at least a _little_ bad, granted, but her attempts to pay for herself and Chloe had been repeatedly shot down by Lonnie, Sam, and now Liv. She'd felt awkward and like she was imposing at first, but it didn't take long before she was enjoying the hospitality too much to mind.

It was good hospitality, too. Every day there had been somebody to show them around, whether it was Sam, Lonnie, or now Liv, but the daily activities managed to hit that sweet spot between overwhelming and too much downtime. Every day's excursions were bookended by sleeping in a little and enjoying a lazy fruit and donuts breakfast in the morning and dinner out followed by chitchatting and a leisurely bedtime in the evenings, so Max felt like she had time to process everything and not get burnt out.

Today's main destination was Oaks Amusement Park, a cutesy, kitschy collection of rides, games, and attractions on the Willamette. Thinking back a few days to when they'd gone walking with Sam, she remember noticing it from the river path in one of the parks they'd visited. It had reminded Max a little of the Arcadia Bay boardwalk at that distance, and that impression felt pretty accurate as she walked around the park itself. Like, it didn't jut out into the water so much like the Arcadia Bay boardwalk did, and the ground was asphalt, not wood, but the _feel_ of the place, the sense that it was a remnant of a different time, was still there. Granted, the nostalgia factor at Oaks was just fun and novel, without the sort of melancholy the boardwalk picked up from being set against the backdrop of dying, fading Arcadia Bay.

Without any nostalgia for this _particular_ amusement park, Max was able to take it all in with clear eyes. Or, with fresh eyes, anyway. Her vision was never quite "clear," per se- she was always framing shots in her mind, visualizing photosets, and thinking up themes- but she didn't have to sift through her impressions to determine what she actually enjoyed and what she just _remembered_ enjoying. They'd just arrived, but holding hands with Chloe as she walked definitely fell under the "actually enjoyed" column, so things were off to a good start.

"But yeah, it's a decent way to kill a few hours," Liv noted, coming to a stop by a carousel, a little ways from the gate they'd entered through, "Girl Scout's whiled away many a Tuesday afternoon here, doing post-tour recovery days."

"I can see this being a good place to enjoy the wind in your hair after weeks in a crowded van," Chloe remarked, looking around, "Do you tour a lot?" Liv shrugged.

"Not a _lot_ a lot," she replied, "We've done shows all over Oregon and Washington, but actual, multi-city touring isn't something we've done super often. Or, _I_ haven't toured too many times. Like, the band's technically been in existence for twenty years; people've just been switching in and out. It's like that thought experiment, the one with the boat-" She snapped her fingers for a moment, grasping for the answer. "The ship of Theseus! Is a thing still that same thing if you've had to replace every part of it at some time or another? But, like, with band members, is what I'm saying."

"So, what's a good thing to do after a long roadtrip in a crowded van?" Max asked. She wanted to see what all the park had to offer, and she knew there was a chance of Chloe and Liv talking about music and the punk scene for hours if she let them. If they were just hanging out, Max wouldn't really care. She was honestly happy to see Chloe excited about stuff and making friends- the last thing she wanted was to isolate her beloved, after all- and she had plenty of solitary things she enjoyed, like sorting photos or practicing guitar. As long as they were out on the town, though, Max would rather actually take some of it in.

"Oh, this one time we just _had_ to play skee ball," Liv stated, laughing to herself, "We'd found out about a competitive bar skee ball _league_ when we were playing down in San Fran, and by the time we got home like a week and a half later we'd gotten super psyched up about it. Carla put together a whole bracket and everything, and we dropped a _lot_ of quarters running a little intra-band tournament, along with Lonnie, Sam, and sundry significant others. Turns out we're not titans of the skee ball ramp, but we racked up enough tickets for some killer cheap plastic crap prizes. It was a good time." Chloe's face lit up as soon as Liv had said "skee ball league," and Max grinned. By the time they'd left Arcadia Bay, Chloe had actually become pretty decent at the game, and she'd developed a fondness for it, too. She was willing to concede that was probably mostly just because she associated it with Chloe, but that didn't make it any less enjoyable for her. Really, didn't most people like most things at least partially for unrelated sentimental reasons?

"Skee ball was one of our go-to pastimes in Arcadia Bay," Chloe noted, grinning, "There wasn't, like, a league or anything, though. Just me and Max."

"I assume there were other people in town who also played skee ball," Max added, "Just never while we were at the arcade."

"The point is, we're pretty badass at skee ball," Chloe declared, smirking, "Enough to give you a run for your money, anyway." That was a bit of an exaggeration, by Max's estimation, but it wasn't like it really mattered. Even if the challenge wasn't just playful competition, skee ball was pretty low stakes. It was the way Max and Chloe played it, anyway.

The three of them migrated over to a pavilion labeled "Fun Zone," where they found a row of skee ball lanes, along with a bunch of other ticket-y games. As it turned out, Chloe _was_ the best skee ball player in the group, although Liv managed to beat out Max. From there they made the rounds to several of the other games, which ranged from ridiculous skill challenges to completely random. It wasn't really worth the time, effort, and especially money to try and rack up a big stack of tickets, and it didn't really make sense to save them for later. After all, there was no way of knowing when they'd be back. Chloe suggested they "make it rain," but Max talked her into just leaving chains of tickets lying around for kids to find instead.

Their next stop was the go cart track, which proved to be more exciting, if nothing else. Sitting at the starting line, Max realized it was the first time she'd been behind a wheel since October, when she'd driven into down during the storm in an alternate timeline. She'd taken driver's ed in high school, and she _technically_ had her license, but actually driving, and in a hurricane no less, had been super stressful. The worry wart in her was nervous even about driving around in this little go cart, but she tried to remind herself that this was a car for literal children, and so she was unlikely to hurt herself. So was Chloe, she told herself.

Sure enough, their circuit of the track was more _Mario Kart_ than _Twisted Metal_. Of the three of them, Max actually came in first place, although she wasn't sure how much of that was some kind of innate skill and how much of it was just flooring the pedal out of tense terror. Whatever the reason, it was fun to win at something, and Chloe went all out congratulating her on her victory.

"New plan: You take up secret underground street racing and we live off your winnings," the blue haired girl declared, draping herself around Max's shoulders, "It'll be great! We'll have penthouses all around the world, and a bunch of tricked out muscle cars."

"I don't think I'm swole enough to pull that off," Max noted, laughing and leaning her head over slightly to nuzzle Chloe, "I feel like being buff is part of the job. Like the Rock or Vin Diesel or whoever." Liv snorted.

"I think those _Fast and Furious_ movies take some artistic license," she remarked, "The only 'illegal street racer' I ever met was just a scrawny douchelord with some really shitty internet opinions, and he sure wasn't buying up penthouse condos."

"Because he was scrawny, clearly," Max replied, "Like I said, I think you have to be ripped to make it in that business. I'm not sure how it works, but it just does. And, as you can see, I'm _definitely_ not ripped. I'm an artsy little hipster twig."

"I mean, I'd describe you more as slender," Chloe said, "Or, like, lithe and graceful."

"Oh, please," Max groaned, nevertheless laughing and smiling, "I'll grant slender, but I feel like 'lithe and graceful' is what Middle Earth elves are, not clumsy little derps like me."

"Whatever she is, I love my clumsy little derp," Chloe stated, turning to press a kiss to Max's cheek, "I love her just the way she is. You are. Whatever." Max giggled as Chloe continued to plant kisses all over the side of her face.

"You two are so cute I'm gonna puke," Liv declared, scoffing and grinning.

"Sorry not sorry," Chloe countered between kisses, waving a middle finger at their guide without turning her face away from Max's, "You knew what you were getting when you agreed to hang out with us." Liv broke into laughter.

"True that," she agreed, "If anything, this is less PDA than I've come to expect from you. I mean, when we met you were making out and, like, straddling each other."

"And by 'met' you mean 'pointed us out to a room full of people,' right?" Max joked, finding the memory more amusing than mortifying now with the benefit of time.

"Well yeah," Liv confirmed, "To be fair, I've actually met a lot of people while they were sucking face at a concert, so you're in good company."

"And here I thought we were special," Max grumbled, affecting a glum tone and a pout as the three of them came to some picnic tables. Liv sat on one side, with Max and Chloe sitting opposite her.

"The time I ran into you making out in the woods kind of made it a trend," Liv noted, "And actually hanging out with you has confirmed your status as the 'adorkable teenager couple' in my head, so you've got that going for you."

"Chloe's twenty," Max pointed out, resting back against the taller girl as they sat on the picnic bench, Chloe's arms wrapping around her and holding her close.

"May as well be a teenager," Liv replied, shrugging, "'Adorkable teenager couple' is more a state of mind than an age thing, really. All cutesy and playful, with a bunch of PDA and showin' off hickeys and shit." Max blushed slightly, but she could feel Chloe smirking. Her moment of embarrassment passed quickly, and after that she was just pleased. For one thing, Max knew how much Chloe enjoyed the idea of being marked as hers and people _noticing_. Max liked humoring Chloe and doing stuff that made her happy, but as time passed she was finding she liked putting those marks there as much as Chloe liked having them. Or, maybe not necessarily quite _as_ much, but she definitely liked the concept of leaving physical proof that she loved Chloe. It wasn't like they had to prove their love to anyone or anything, but it was still fun. Whatever. Max decided not to think too hard about it, and to just enjoy her and Chloe's "adorkable teenager couple"-ness.

"Again, sorry not sorry," Chloe laughed, giving Max a gentle squeeze, "I plan on us being adorable until we die, not just while we're young."

"We'll be cutesy when we're eighty!" Max agreed, "All the other old people at the retirement home will roll their eyes and tell us to go get a room!"

"Hey, I've been one half of an insufferably cute young couple in my time," Liv stated, "Hell, I hopefully will be again in not too long. But I'll never be _twenty_ and in love again, so it's amusing to watch my old foibles play out anew."

"Glad our all-over-each-other-ness can provide some entertainment," Chloe remarked, "Better that than making people hella jealous. Because, you know, nobody could really reach this level of cute, so that'd be tragic."

Fumbling around in her bag for a moment, Max grabbed her camera and pulled it out. Shifting around a little so she and Chloe would both be comfortably in the frame, she lined up a shot and snapped a selfie. She set her camera down on the table and shook the Polaroid a little until it finished developing. Just as she'd hoped, the picture showed her and Chloe, snuggling and grinning like idiots with the park as a backdrop. It was hardly an original shot, Max had to admit, but she loved it all the same.

"Definitely better to be amusing," Max agreed as she studied the picture, holding it up for Chloe to inspect as well, "Nobody's topping this."


	116. Lost

It had been a fun week with Lonnie and Sam, but it had to end at some point. It had to end at some point for Chloe, anyway. She figured it was _theoretically_ possible for Max to stay in that week indefinitely. She'd taken a whole bunch of pictures, and she could sort of time warp back through any picture she'd taken or been in, right? Max had explained her powers before- as much as she understood them, at any rate- but Chloe still wasn't super clear on their limitations.

Either way, Chloe and Max were headed back up to Seattle. Their last day in town had been pretty laid back, mostly just a morning of washing the sheets and enjoying a leisurely breakfast before doing some exploring in the afternoon. Lonnie and Sam took them out for one last early dinner in the evening, and then they were dropped off at Union Station.

"Thank you so much for hosting us!" Max said as she stood next to Chloe outside the station, "We had a really great time!" Chloe nodded in agreement.

"Glad you two enjoyed yourselves," Lonnie replied, smiling and resting back against the side of her car, "It was nice to have you stay with us, so that works out. I like entertaining guests."

"I mean, it would be pretty unfortunate if you didn't," Chloe pointed out, "Since you run a bar and music venue and everything. Sure would suck to, like, yearn for solitude or whatever in the middle of all that." Lonnie snorted and laughed, joined by Sam a second later.

"Yeah, I guess it would," she agreed, still chuckling, "Houseguests aren't really the same as customers or audiences, but still."

"The point is, we loved having you," Sam cut in, taking Lonnie's arm, "It gave me an excuse to get out of the house and do things without feeling like I should be home writing!"

"Hey, happy to help any time," Chloe joked, grinning, "I'm pretty great at being other people's irresponsibility excuse."

"Well, hopefully you can reprise that role next time you're in Portland," Sam replied, "But in the meantime, stay safe and enjoy the summer. And keep us posted if there's anything we can do to help the two of you!" Hugs and goodbyes were exchanged, and Lonnie and Sam drove off, waving as they pulled out of the parking lot.

Without any more reason to stand on the curb, Chloe took Max's hand and they made their way into the station. The train was pulling out in twenty minutes, but that still left plenty of time to check their luggage and use the bathroom and stuff. All the standard pre-trip things. Chloe had heard horror stories about security lines and getting lost at airports, but trains and buses had never given her any problems like that. Then again, she figured there was a chance that a lot of that was just sensationalism. She'd never actually _been_ to an airport, so she wouldn't know.

Again, Chloe felt a momentary pang of unease as she and Max boarded the train, glancing around at the tracks. Max gave her hand a squeeze though, and she did her best to just shrug the feeling off. It had been a great week in a great summer in what was shaping up to probably be the best year of her life so far. There was no reason for it to suddenly go wrong now, and definitely not by way of a train mishap. The train ride _down_ had been just fine, and even fun, so she just took a deep breath and told herself it would be fine.

"Need snuggles?" Max asked as they took their seats, "Y'know, to calm you down?" Chloe smiled and put her arm around Max, who settled in close.

"I'm good," Chloe assured, "But I'll still take the snuggles. Snuggles are good."

"Snuggles _are_ good," Max agreed, nuzzling into Chloe's shoulder, "So, how did you enjoy our Portland vacation?"

"I mean, I loved it," Chloe declared, "I really like this city. Which is a relief, because I'd kind of worried for a while that maybe I just loved the _idea_ of Portland, y'know? Like, that I'd just built it up in my head as the anti-Arcadia Bay or something. The more time we spend here, the more secure I feel in saying that yes, this is a cool place."

"I'm glad it lives up to your expectations," Max replied, giggling a little, "It definitely is a cool place. I wouldn't mind settling down here." The train started out of the station.

"You wouldn't prefer Seattle?" Chloe asked, lightly stroking Max's arm.

"Well, I _would_ , but not, like, to the exclusion of all other options," the brunette explained, "I'm used to Seattle. It's where I've lived for a while now. It's where I'm comfortable. But I feel like I could be comfortable here pretty easily. I'd just have to settle in, like I did when I moved to Seattle. It would be a lot easier this time around, though."

"Because I'd be with you," she added after a second, "I wanted to stress that."

"Yeah, I got it," Chloe murmured, smiling as she pressed a kiss to the top of Max's head, "You're sweet."

"I try," Max sighed, a smile in her voice, "But actually, though, I can see myself living here. It would be fun to start out in a new place together. We'll make memories and connections and stuff wherever we are, but Portland would be a blank slate."

"Not _totally_ blank," Chloe pointed out, "We've spent something like two weeks here, when you add it all up. Place already has some history for us."

"True," Max conceded, "Not enough time to really grow into it, but still. The point is that we have a couple good ideas about where we should live, and that's a whole lot better than feeling lost."

"Agreed," Chloe said, giving Max a gentle squeeze, "Feeling lost is pretty not great, all things considered."

"No danger of that happening any time soon, though," Max noted, shifting around a little and turning her face up to smile at Chloe, "This train can't really leave the tracks, and it's taking us to Seattle, a place I know pretty well."

" _I_ could still get lost, though," Chloe pointed out, leaning down to brush her nose against Max's.

"No you couldn't," the brunette insisted, "For you to get lost in Seattle, we'd have to be separated, and I'd never abandon you. Therefore, you can't get lost."

"What if I didn't get lost in Seattle?" Chloe asked, a smile starting on her face, "What if I got lost in your eyes instead?" Max snorted and began giggling.

"If you get lost in my eyes, I don't know if there's anything I can do for you," she stated after a moment, "Except- I mean, you're supposed to blink a lot when there's something stuck in your eye, I think." She batted her eyelashes at Chloe. Or, really, she rapidly blinked several times, and Chloe made the deductive leap that she'd been trying to bat her eyelashes.

"You're so cute when you're trying to be smooth," Chloe murmured, touching her lips to Max's, "It'd adorable."

"I'm trying to woo you," Max explained, smiling as she nuzzled Chloe, "Is it working? Are you wooed?"

"Sure," Chloe breathed, stealing another kiss, "I am thoroughly wooed by your adorkableness." Max grinned against Chloe's lips and pressed closer.

"I'll take it," Max whispered, "I mean, whatever works, right?"

"You always work for me," Chloe pointed out, enjoying one last, lingering kiss before settling back into her seat. Max adjusted herself accordingly, and got back into a comfortable position for the trip.

Since it was the middle of summer and all, there was actually still a good amount of daylight from the time they pulled out of Portland until sunset. As it got late and the sun went down, Max sat up to snap some "golden hour" photos while Chloe just relaxed, slouching in her seat. The scenery was pretty nice, but what Chloe most enjoyed was watching Max get excited about photo opportunities. She was just so damn cute, and Chloe was so damn in love with her.

It _did_ get dark before they got to Seattle, though. Max had coordinated with Ryan to have him come pick them up at the station so they didn't have to trudge through downtown at eleven at night. For all she liked to affect fearlessness, Chloe appreciated the forethought. She'd been out late at night plenty of times without incident, but it didn't hurt to take a safe option when it was offered. Besides, it meant less walking for them, which was a plus.

Apparently theirs was pretty much the last train to hit the station, so it cleared out pretty quickly after they'd disembarked, and the station itself closed up not long after. People who worked for the city or the station or Amtrak or whatever- Chloe wasn't entirely sure who all had jurisdiction over train stations these days- shooed them out at eleven, leaving them in the courtyard out front. Ironically for a guy who could literally control time, though, Ryan was running a little late, so Chloe and Max just hung out on a bench by a streetlight.

"Sorry we have to wait a bit," Max mumbled, fidgeting a little, "I should have called him sooner. Or, like, given him the train schedule so he'd know when we were getting in. I guess I hadn't thought to plan for the return trip."

"It's fine," Chloe assured, draping her arm around the brunette, "Not like we've got places to be."

"Maybe not, but someplace other than downtown late at night would be preferable," Max noted, shifting closer to Chloe, "I really am sorry about the waiting. We should've just got an Uber or something."

"Hey, just think of it as part of the adventure of travel," Chloe suggested, shrugging, "Just gotta roll with it." Max opened her mouth to respond, but was cut off by the sound of a car horn. Ryan had just pulled up, and waved from his open window. Chloe and Max hopped up from the bench and hurried over, piling into the backseat.

It didn't take long to get to the Caulfields' house. Ryan had asked some smalltalk questions about their trip on the way, but he didn't press for details. None of them had said as much, but it felt generally agreed upon that the full story of their vacation would be shared tomorrow, when Vanessa would be there and Chloe and Max would be less tired.

"Back to the little bed, I guess," Chloe remarked once she and Max were back in their room. It was pushing midnight, so they'd decided to put off unpacking until the morning.

"Yeah," Max agreed, shrugging and shuffling into the bathroom, "Little bed in my childhood room. It feels a lot more childish now, after spending a week in a grownup guest room." Chloe heard the sink start, and then the sound of Max brushing her teeth.

"Eh, I guess," Chloe replied, joining Max and putting her arms around the shorter girl's waist, snuggling close behind her, "Little bed can be nice, though."

"Oh?" Max asked after rinsing, settling back against Chloe and closing her eyes.

"We're snuggled up close together, anyway," Chloe pointed out, "A little bed makes it so I don't have to worry about you getting lost over on the other end or something."

"That _is_ a nice feature," Max conceded, "I'd hate to get lost. Little bed or not, I guess you'd better hold me tight."

"I guess," Chloe agreed, smiling and pressing a kiss to the side of Max's head. In all honesty, Chloe was really looking forward to a time in their lives when she and Max would have a whole apartment or house to settle into, and when they'd have a nice queen sized bed to snuggle and bang in. For now, though, if she and Max had to make do with pressing close on a twin bed, Chloe figured she was okay with it. Very okay with it.


	117. Thinking Ahead

Summer was almost over. Fuck. Summer was _almost over._ Not that that had any looming practical effect, but it still felt pretty significant to Max. For one thing, the end of summer was when she and Chloe had decided they'd have to start actually looking for jobs and apartments and stuff, but it was more than that. Even if they just agreed to shrug it off and put of adulating for another month, the end of August would really hit home for Max. For the first time since she was a toddler, she had no school waiting for her. No class schedule, no homeroom assignment, no structure. She was on her own.

Not _on her own_ on her own, granted. Chloe had her back, if nothing else, and that was comforting. Well, that and also her parents. And Lonnie and Sam, if she needed. Okay, so maybe Max wasn't really on her own at all, when she thought about it. It still _felt_ pretty daunting to be stumbling into adulthood without any structure waiting for her, though.

It wasn't September just yet, though, and Max was determined to enjoy her last few days of leisure time. After they'd gotten back to Seattle from their Portland trip, Max had tried to get out into town with Chloe a bunch to cram in as much sightseeing and adventure as she could, but that had gotten pretty exhausting. They'd spent the last week or so mostly just chilling around the house, and Max felt like she was getting back into an equilibrium again. She figured she'd have to figure out how to manage her homebody streak if she was ever going to hold down a nine to five job.

That was just one more thing she was okay with putting off, though, she decided as she slouched on the sofa watching TV with Chloe. The taller girl was lying out on the couch, head resting in Max's lap and not really paying all that much attention to the television. To be fair, Max wasn't, either. It was mostly there for background noise. Max's main focus, in that moment as in what felt to her like every moment for the last ten months, was Chloe.

"I like when you play with my hair," Chloe remarked as Max did just that, "It makes me feel all pampered and stuff." Max smiled, continuing to run her fingers along Chloe's scalp. Chloe's blue hair was still pretty short, shorter than it had been in October. She was reasonably diligent about keeping it dyed, all things considered, but a bit of natural blonde was starting to peek out from the roots.

"Well I like playing with your hair, so that works out pretty well," Max replied, "I like the fuzzy bits on the sides and the longer bits on top. I like the blue and I like the blonde and I like the sort of purple faded part that shows up sometimes right before you re-dye it."

"Hmm," Chloe mumbled, reaching up a hand to touch her scalp, "Do I gotta clean up the roots already?"

"Only if you want to," Max stated, shrugging, "It's your hair, it should look the way you want. But, I mean, if your question is really whether or not there's natural color showing up at your roots, the answer is yes."

"To be fair, though, I think I only really notice it because I'm, like, lovingly combing through it all the time," she added, "It doesn't show up unless you're looking real close."

"Guess I've got some time, then," Chloe summarized, "Just as well. I'm not entirely sure what I wanna do with it next."

"Are there any particular options you've been mulling over?" Max asked, intrigued. Lately she'd started to look back on Chloe's blonde hair fondly. Like, she still had the image of blonde adult Chloe dying in the back of her head, but more often now she was remembering the adventures the two of them had had as children, with long yellow hair fluttering in the breeze as tween Chloe ran through the park.

"Nothing super solid just yet," Chloe reported, "But it's been blue for a while now, so I figure it's probably getting to be about time to change it up. How about you? Got any requests?"

"I mean, it's your hair," Max noted, "I don't want to go around dictating your appearance or something." Chloe snorted.

"You wouldn't be 'dictating my appearance,' Max," she insisted, "I am _asking_ you, a woman who sees me every day and has a well-documented eye for aesthetics, what you think would look nice."

"Well when you put it like that it sounds much more reasonable," Max conceded, smiling and blushing slightly. Chloe didn't make it a secret that she liked Max's work, but it still warmed Max's heart to hear the compliment. "If you want to dye it different, I say go for it. I could see you growing it longer, too. Like, just from the top of your head, keeping the sides shaved and stuff." Chloe raised an eyebrow and smirked.

"Yeah, that could be cool," she agreed, "The blue matches my eyes, which I like, so I think I might try to stick with this color for a while yet. Or maybe even a little lighter. But growing it out some is interesting. It hasn't been long in _years_ , so that would definitely be a change. Something to think about, if nothing else."

"How about me?" Max asked, "Anything you'd like to see for my hair?"

"You're perfect," Chloe replied immediately, shaking her head, "I've loved the way you look for as long as I've known you." Max blushed again, a little deeper this time, but sighed and rolled her eyes.

"That's sweet, but I've looked a lot of different ways," Max pressed, "I've had long hair and sorta short hair. I had bangs for a little bit. I bet you have _some_ preferences."

"It's down to your shoulders now," Chloe pointed out, reaching up to lightly bat at Max's hair, "I'm liking that. When you're sort of, like, crouched over me or whatever, sometimes it falls down so I can only see your face. That's cool. So, more of that, I guess?"

"Grow my hair into curtains. Got it," Max teased, "I get what you're saying, though, I think. It's a cool effect."

"I mean, it's all just shooting the shit right this second," Chloe noted, "Not like we have to commit to new hairstyles right now or anything. Can't do anything with our hair today, regardless."

"I'm doing something with your hair as we speak," Max countered, grinning as she continued stroking Chloe's hair, "Checkmate." Chloe snorted and snickered a little before calming back down and fixing Max with bedroom eyes.

"I'm checking my mate right now," she replied, waggling her eyebrows. Max laughed, and Chloe joined after a second, dropping her seductive look. They went on giggling together for a moment before dying back down into silence, Max's hands running over Chloe's head as they sat there on the couch.

"We should probably start making plans for the future soon," Chloe remarked, "Beyond, like, whether we're gonna grow our hair out and stuff."

"Yeah," Max agreed glumly, "I guess." She really had hoped to put this off for one more week, but it wasn't like Chloe was _wrong_. Plans would have to be made at some point. May as well start now.

"I'm not thrilled about it, either," Chloe admitted, "But, like, we can't stay here forever, and if my shitty life's taught me one thing, it's that sitting around just wishing things would work out doesn't get you very far."

"I don't even know where to start, really," Max sighed, "Like, how do you even get a job? How do _I_ even get a job? 'Hello, I'm eighteen and I'm not good at anything. Give me money, please.' Not exactly a clincher."

"Well, I mean, you're _not_ not good at anything," Chloe countered, "You're a pretty great artist, for one thing. You're also better at time travel than pretty much anyone I've ever met, so that's a pretty cool thing to have on the ol' resumé."

"With photography, I guess I could, like, be a wedding photographer or something to pay the bills while I try to 'make it' or whatever as an actual artist," Max conceded, "I don't think anyone's hiring time travelers, though."

"Counterpoint: Time travel is hella lucrative," Chloe replied, "Like, you could clean the fuck up gambling, I bet. Just take a selfie, wait a couple days to find out what the winning lotto numbers are, then come back to write 'em down." The thought excited Max for a second before she thought it through.

"Something that random doesn't seem to work all that well my power, I think," Max explained, saddened that her seconds-long dream of being a millionaire was deflating, "Like, I've tried time travel to predict dice rolls and RNG, but they've come out different every time. I don't know if it's 'chaos theory' or 'the butterfly effect' or what, but randomness really _is_ random, it turns out. Random enough that I can't game the lottery, anyway."

"Oh," Chloe grumbled, "Well, crap. I guess you could still use your power for scratch-and-wins- like, buy one, see if it's a winner, then rewind if it's not so you save that dollar or whatever- but that's not really the same… It might work for poker, but I wouldn't want you fucking around with casinos."

"Yeah, they take a pretty dim view on cheating," Max agreed, "I guess, like, I could make money on the stock market. Just wait for something to do a sudden jump, then go back to leave myself a note to buy shares of that."

"That... That could work, actually," Chloe noted, "I don't know if we'd be able to get crazy rich overnight, really. But knowing _when_ to buy and sell and stuff, that'd add up over a couple years, if you keep a close eye on the market, I think." A smile spread across Max's face as she started to game it out in her mind.

"My birthday's coming up," she remarked, "I could probably buy some penny stocks or whatever they're called with some of my birthday money. Or, like, I could get a job like a grownup and make the startup capital that way…" Chloe waved a dismissive hand to cut Max off.

"We'll work out the specifics later," the blue haired girl declared, shrugging, "'We'll get rich by gaming Wall Street with time travel' is enough of a plan for me right now." Max breathed a sigh of relief that she could just go back to daydreaming with Chloe. Time travel-assisted stock trading was the best idea for the future they'd had yet, but that didn't mean she was eager to actually wade into logistics.

"Just as well," she said, "Between that and the hair talk, I'm all planned out."

"Go ahead and act on impulse for the rest of the day, then," Chloe urged, "Give yourself a thinking ahead breather and just do whatever feels natural in the moment." She waggled her eyebrows.

"Whatever feels natural, you say," Max murmured, carefully lifting Chloe's head from her lap enough that she could get up from the couch, "I guess I could give that a try." She knelt down beside the couch, bringing her face close to Chloe's. "Right now, I think smooches would feel pretty natural."

"Don't _think_ about what would feel natural," Chloe admonished, her voice soft and teasing as she turned her head a little to face Max, "Just go ahead and act. I'm sure it'll be fine." That was all the go-ahead she needed, Max decided.

"If you say so," she breathed, leaning forward just enough to touch her lips to Chloe's. Plans- sound or not, big or small- could still wait a while yet. For the rest of the week, she was happy to focus on just relaxing, and for the rest of the moment, she was happy to focus on just kissing Chloe.


	118. Picture

"What about this one?" Max asked, holding up a polaroid, "Do you think this one's good enough to submit?"

"Yeah," Chloe replied, nodding, "That one looks nice." Max sighed and let her shoulders slump.

"You've said that about all of them!" she whined.

"Because I think they all look nice," Chloe declared. It was true. Chloe had certain looks and aesthetics she liked, but she didn't really have much of a sense about what would fit in well in an actual art show. On top of that, she was definitely not an impartial audience for Max's photos. A selfie? Perfection. Another selfie? Stunning. The Arcadia Bay lighthouse at sunset? Breathtaking. Someone who wasn't head over heels in love with Max would probably be a better judge of her work.

"That's really sweet of you, but I can only submit three at the most," Max explained, letting herself fall back on her bed and staring at the ceiling, "So I'm gonna have to find _some_ way of narrowing it down."

A local gallery had posted a call for photography submissions, and Max had decided she was going to give it a shot. Chloe had been really excited for her, glad to see the brunette trying to get her art out there in front of audiences. Really, she still _was_ excited, but Max's stalling and overthinking was taking the shine off, if nothing else. Everyone was their own worst critic, of course, so Chloe could appreciate why Max was hemming and hawing about which pictures to submit.

Chloe just wished she could do more to reassure Max. It wasn't like she had any art world experience or connections, though, so more or less all she could do was insist that Max's photos were wonderful and that she believed in her. It was sincere, but not especially helpful, if she was being honest. Even if she _could_ set aside her emotional connection to Max and Max's work, Chloe wasn't sure she had the chops to assess the photos as pieces of art to any great extent. She could talk about music for hours, but all she really could say about a photo was whether she thought it was pretty or not.

"Well, I mean, is there any kind of theme or whatever?" Chloe asked, "Like, landscapes or interesting uses of light or something?"

"All it said was that the show is intended to showcase 'unknown artists,'" Max stated, shrugging, "Which, to be fair, definitely applies to me. But newsflash: There are a _lot_ of unknown artists who would really like to be known artists. So it's probably gonna be a pretty crowded field." Frowning a little, Chloe lay back next to Max, rolling onto her side to face the shorter girl.

"Okay, but you _have_ gotten into a gallery show before," Chloe pointed out, "Didn't you tell me your photo won the Blackwell contest in another timeline? So, like, you're still 'unknown' or whatever in _this_ reality, but you at least know that people will like your work if you just show it to them!"

"I don't really know what all went into that decision," Max mumbled, "I submitted the selfie with the Max Caulfield Memorial Wall, but then time travel stuff happened and I was on a plane to San Francisco. _Maybe_ people just really liked my photo, but I think the Blackwell politics of me tipping off the administration about Jefferson and Nathan in that timeline probably helped my odds."

"At least submit that photo, then," Chloe insisted, "If nothing else, it sounds like one of the better bets."

"Can't," Max declared, "I tore it up in _this_ timeline so I _wouldn't_ go to San Francisco so I _would_ be in Arcadia Bay to use a _different_ photo to save _you_. And so here we are." She gestured at nothing in particular.

"Oh…" Chloe mumbled. Max had never once made it seem like she resented Chloe at all, or that she regretted her decision to come back for her. Even so, having it all laid out like that left Chloe feeling pretty glum, even though she knew that wasn't what Max had meant to happen. It couldn't have been, right? Either way, Chloe felt guilty that the price for her life had been, among other things, Max's chance at stardom. Like, that wasn't Max's one and only chance to get noticed in the art world, Chloe knew, but it had been a pretty strong start. In _this_ reality, the one where Max didn't go to San Francisco and had saved Chloe instead, the brunette's path to critical and commercial success as an artist was a lot rockier.

"Luckily, I have plenty of other photos," Max added hastily, apparently having noticed Chloe's glum tone, "Maybe a few _too_ many, it's looking like." That gave Chloe an idea.

"Max, you'd told me your winning photo was you with a bunch of your other photos, right?" she remarked, "Do you think you could recreate it? I mean, we've got pretty much all the ingredients or whatever- pictures, lights, a wall. It wouldn't be the _exact_ same, but wouldn't it get the idea across still?" Max raised an eyebrow and began to smile.

"I mean, I didn't think it was all that good the _first_ time around," the brunette admitted, her smile nevertheless spreading, "But yeah, I think I could shoot it again." She scooted over to get closer to Chloe, and nuzzled into the taller girl's shoulder. "Why didn't I think of that? You're so smart."

"Eh, maybe all it took was an outside perspective," Chloe suggested, wrapping an arm around Max and gently holding her close, "But I'm glad I could finally do _something_ to help." Max scoffed, even as she slid her arms around Chloe and snuggled in closer.

"You're plenty helpful," she insisted, voice muffled from speaking into Chloe's chest. She was quiet for a moment, just squeezing Chloe softly. "Okay, maybe you have a point. But this actually is helpful!" Chloe snickered and leaned down to press a kiss to Max's scalp.

"So, what do we gotta do to set this thing up?" Chloe asked, idly stroking Max's hair and neck, "Do we use this room? Or do the walls in here not work or something?" Max sighed and gave Chloe one last squeeze before rolling onto her back and turning her head to inspect the far wall.

"I _think_ this wall will work," she stated, holding out a thumb to gauge the scale, "We might have to scoot my desk some, or at least clear it off for the shot, but, I mean, this room's bigger than my dorm room, and that's where I took the original shot." Max made a happy little hum and shut her eyes, nestling back into Chloe's embrace.

"Want to help me set up the pictures and lights and stuff?" she asked, "After, um, after we snuggle for a bit?"

"Sure," Chloe replied, smiling as she accepted Max back into her arms, "I'd love to." Having an actual plan in place seemed to relieve a lot of Max's stress, Chloe noticed. She wasn't fidgeting anymore, anyway. The affection probably helped, too, but Chloe could feel that a lot of the tension from before had melted away, and she was glad for that. Whether or not it would last was another thing, of course- if it turned out they couldn't make the shot work, Max would probably just get more anxious than she'd been before- but for now the brunette was calm and content, it seemed like.

After the better part of an hour, they stretched and sat up. Max rummaged around in her desk for a moment before coming up with a roll of tape, and Chloe gathered all the photos they'd been sifting through earlier into a more or less neat stack. From there it didn't take them too long to tape the pictures to the wall in rows. Max would occasionally move one here or there, rattling off explanations about how their placement would affect the composition of the shot. Chloe didn't really follow most of it, but she was happy to just go ahead and stick photos wherever Max wanted.

Once they'd taped up the photos and hung the lights, Max started to set up her tripod and Chloe pulled the curtains closed. Max's bedroom was suddenly lit only by the soft, warm glow of her string of lights. The brunette finished tampering with her camera and tripod and took a step back, taking a look at the scene.

"Okay, this looks basically the same as the original," Max declared, looking the wall up and down, "I mean, it's in a different room and my Blackwell bed and shelves won't be in the shot but my Seattle desk and door might be, but the important stuff should be pretty much the same." She positioned herself between the camera and the wall, shifting forward and back and turning around a lot to check her distance from the camera. "Could you look through the viewfinder? Just to tell me if I'm in the right spot." Chloe nodded and hurried around behind the camera, peering in.

"I think you are," Chloe reported, staring through the lens at Max's back and the wall of photos, "Like, you're centered in the frame and stuff. Is that where you wanted to be?" Chloe would have assumed so, but this was an _artsy_ photo. She'd never actually seen the original, so for all she knew Max had wanted to be out of focus in one corner of the frame or something. She wasn't sure _why_ that would be, but Chloe didn't pretend to understand all of Max's stylistic choices. Mainly, she was just there to be supportive, and to provide occasional technical assistance.

"It is, as long as I'm not filling the shot," Max explained, "You can see around me to most of the pictures on the wall, right?"

"Yup," Chloe assured, "Do you have one of those remote clicker things? Or should I just take the picture for you?"

"Go ahead," Max replied, her voice warm even as she continued to stare straight ahead, posed for the photo. Having gotten permission, Chloe snapped the picture and gently tugged it from the camera once it slid out.

"Did I do okay?" she asked, stepping around the tripod and coming up behind Max. She draped her arms around the shorter girl and lifted the picture for inspection. Max took the polaroid and leaned back against Chloe, nuzzling against her neck and shoulder while the photo developed. They stayed like that for a moment, Max just resting in Chloe's arms in comfortable silence. Eventually- Or, at least, what _felt_ like eventually. Really, it couldn't have been more than a few seconds, but time stood still for Chloe sometimes when they were like this- Max tilted the photo to better examine it in the dim light.

"You did great, darling," Max declared, craning her neck to beam back at Chloe, "This is better than the first one!" Chloe could feel her cheeks heat up and a smile starting on her face.

"Eh, all I did was push the button," she pointed out, "You planned it and set it all up and stuff. Plus, you shot the original all on your own, so if it's better it's just because _you_ improved on your first attempt." Max sighed and shrugged, settling back against Chloe again.

"Whatever the reason, I like this one better," Max insisted, "And I'm willing to just work under the assumption that it's because you were involved this time around." Chloe blushed deeper, and let herself smile even wider now.

"Well, if you insist," Chloe sighed, giving Max a gentle squeeze, "I wouldn't get _too_ reliant on my skills as a camera assistant, if I'm being honest, but I'm glad I could help. I just don't think _I'm_ , like, your secret ingredient or whatever."

"Doesn't matter if you are or you're not," Max replied, voice soft, "This one is better, and I've spent most of the last year with you. That's made me happier and more confident, even if I'm still not totally sure of myself. So even if there's not, like, a super clear line of causality or whatever, I'll chalk this up to you. Everything I do is better with you." Chloe's heart leapt. That wasn't a _surprising_ thing to hear from Max, at this point. They'd both been pretty up-front from the start that they were head over heels for each other, so this wasn't any kind of big confession. Still, Chloe could never get over how amazing it felt to be loved by Max.

"Same," she murmured after a few seconds of stunned silence, "Same."

 **A/N: BRB, gonna go play "Before The Storm" and hope it doesn't render any of my story glaringly non-canon.**


	119. Good News

Max liked routines. Maybe that meant she'd have to get a demerit from the Hipster Council or something for being too normal, but it was how she was. It wasn't like she had her life scheduled down to the minute or anything, but she tended to fall into patterns. If it was good enough to do once, why not make a habit of it, right?

Mornings were pretty simple. She'd wake up whenever it was she woke up- usually close to ten, when left to her own devices- and just doze for a while, snuggled up with Chloe. Once she drifted all the way into consciousness, she'd roll over, stretch a little, and check her phone. Normally there wasn't anything to actually see, of course. The weather forecast, some Facebook notifications, and a couple emails from the nonprofits and art supply companies who had gotten her contact info at some point and decided to hit her up. Definitely nothing particularly exciting.

It was mostly just habit, at this point. She barely even registered what she was seeing, just idly swiping through her notifications. Max was so checked out, in fact, that she dismissed the new email notification and moved on for a few seconds before realizing what she'd seen. Hastily opening up the app, she went back to read the message in full. Then she closed out of her email, opened it again, and reread the message just to make sure she wasn't imagining things in her early morning haze.

The email read the same as it did the first time, though, and a smile spread across Max's face. Chloe stirred behind her, awoken either by her movement or longer absence than usual. Mumbling something unintelligible, the taller girl rolled onto her side as well and spooned Max, pressing close and gently wrapping an arm across Max's chest.

"Find a good meme or something?" Chloe asked, still groggy but speaking actual words now. Max shook her head.

"Chloe," she breathed, her smile getting even wider, "They accepted my picture! The gallery is gonna display my picture!" Chloe gave her a squeeze, holding her tight and pressing kisses to the side of her head.

"Max, that's great!" the blue haired girl exclaimed, "I mean, I shouldn't be surprised. Your photos are awesome! But it's still super exciting that your art's gonna be in a gallery show and everything!" She rolled onto her back, pulling Max along with her. Max shifted around so that she could rest her cheek on Chloe's collarbone, smiling with giddiness at the news and Chloe's joyful reaction.

"I'm so proud of you," Chloe went on, speaking softly now as she ran a hand through Max's hair, "You're gonna get all rich and famous and have adoring fans and stuff!" Max snorted and nuzzled into Chloe's neck.

"I don't know about all that," she mumbled, "It's just one photo in one show in one gallery. And, like, the show is specifically about undiscovered artists, so I couldn't have even gotten in if I wasn't a super tiny little fish in a big art pond."

"Act modest if you want," Chloe scoffed, kissing her scalp, "I heard your voice when you told me about the pic getting accepted. I can feel you doing your giddy-squirm. You're pumped and I can tell." That much was true, and if Chloe wasn't buying her self-deprecation Max figured she might as well drop it.

"Okay, you've got me," Max admitted, grinning up at Chloe, "It's exciting! It's not quite the San Francisco show, but it's still a step! And, like, I'm sure there were a lot of other entries. Blackwell was guaranteed a spot at that show in the other timeline, so I was just competing against the rest of the class. This just feels more like something I did on my own, y'know?"

"Or, I mean, that _we_ did," she added hastily, "Because you helped out setting it up and actually snapping the picture and stuff…" Chloe rolled her eyes, smiled, and sighed.

"It's _your_ photo, Max," Chloe insisted, "I was happy to help, and I'm honored to have been a part of this first step in your rise to greatness or whatever, but _you're_ the artist."

"Well, when we go to the opening I'll still be sure to give you credit if anyone asks me about the picture," Max stated, "'Oh, yes, I'm so glad you like the picture. This gorgeous woman on my arm here worked the camera for me.'"

"Ooh, I get to be arm candy!" Chloe remarked, snickering, "Do I do any sort of scheming Claire Underwood type support or undermine the other artists or anything, or do I follow you around and look pretty?"

"I'm _mostly_ certain that you just come along with me and enjoy the show," Max replied, shrugging and smiling at Chloe's suggestions, "I'm sure that some people get all Machiavelli in the art world and play all kinds of headgames and stuff, but I doubt that'll be going on at this show. We'll just be there to mingle, talk up the photo some, and have a nice evening."

"So, it'll be like a date?" Chloe asked, waggling her eyebrows, "At least, a date at an art show that you just happen to be in?" Max liked the sound of that. Even though she and Chloe spent all day, every day with each other, they didn't go on many actual "dates," as such. Being broke twenty year olds- or, a broke twenty year old and a broke about-to-be twenty year old- living with parents didn't help with that. So, if this art opening could pull double duty as both Max's professional debut _and_ a special night with Chloe, so much the better.

"We could sure as hell _make_ it a date," Max replied, grinning and scooting up to brush her nose against Chloe's, "The email said there would be hors d'oeuvres and cocktails at the opening, so we could use that as a starter then go out for a late dinner after. Or, like, if we fill up on bacon wrapped shrimp or whatever we can still go to a coffee shop that's open late or something."

"Somewhere only we know," Chloe summarized, singing it like the song.

"A lot of people know about Bauhaus, actually," Max noted, giggling a little at Chloe's not entirely on-key sampling of Keane, "But nobody there would know _us,_ which I feel like is the key."

"True," Chloe murmured, leaning up a little to touch her lips to Max's, "You're going to be so famous and popular at this thing. I'm gonna be dying to have you all to myself again by the time we leave."

"It's just one pretty little art show," Max insisted, nevertheless sighing into the kiss and melting in Chloe's arms, "Where I have just one picture." She lingered at Chloe's lips, stealing another kiss and drawing it out before settling her head back down and nuzzling into the crook of the taller girl's neck.

"Besides, even _if_ everyone is fawning over me- which they won't be- you'd still have me all to yourself," she went on, speaking softly as she traced Chloe's collarbone with an idle finger, "I'll always be all yours." Chloe gave her another gentle squeeze, emitting a pleased little hum at Max's words.

"I love you and I love the way you love me," the blue haired girl sighed, only reluctantly loosening her hold on Max, "Don't feel like you need to babysit me the whole time, though. This is a big deal and an opportunity to get started on more big deals. I can duck out to get you another drink or snack or something if you need to talk commissions with a major player in the art scene at some point."

"Don't you worry. I'm definitely gonna try and make contacts and stuff," Max assured, tilting her head to smile up at Chloe in a way she hoped was reassuring, "Sorry. Like, in an abstract sense I'm all yours and only yours and stuff. But I don't want you to think that I'm isolating myself or anything." She felt herself starting to ramble, and that made her feel flustered, which just made her ramble more. "Not that I don't love spending all day with you, though. But also I don't want _you_ to feel like you need to be my everything. Even though you are my everything, except not in an expectations and responsibilities way. More like I love you and treasure you and you make my life wonderful just by _being_ you, and-"

"Shhhhh, Max," Chloe murmured, stroking Max's hair and neck with long, even strokes, "It's okay. I understand." That was a relief. Max wasn't sure where she'd been going with all that. Or, like, she knew what she was _trying_ to say. She just wasn't sure how to put it in words.

"I just don't want you to ever think that the things I say about you and how I feel about you are lies or exaggerations or anything," Max explained after taking a few breaths and focusing on the soothing sensation of Chloe running a hand through hair, "Because they're true to how I _feel_. I guess I don't want you to be afraid you're taking up all my time and attention and energy, because you're not, but I _also_ don't want that to make you think I love you any less. Does that make any sense?"

"Yeah," Chloe stated, nodding, "I mean, a thing can be true without having to be literally, factually accurate. Or, I guess maybe it technically can't. But I'm gonna say it can. What I mean is, I take the sweet, romantic stuff you say as sort of like freeform poetry. I understand when you say you're 'all mine' and stuff. And I love it." Max decided to take that at face value and breathed a sigh of relief.

"Okay," she said, "I'll try and just keep the sweet stuff coming and not overthink too much."

"I adore your active mind," Chloe cooed, leaning in to give Max a quick kiss, "But yeah, just let yourself enjoy this good news, and just let me gush over you."

"Well, I'll give it a shot, if nothing else," Max replied, affecting a determined tone, "If you insist, I will endure this exciting career step and submit myself to your affection and praise."

"Good," Chloe said, "Because I do insist. We'll go and we'll have a great time and you'll make a splash in the art world and I'll just have fun and come along for the ride!"

"I guess I'll just have to get used to getting noticed," Max remarked, shrugging and smiling, "Or, I mean, I hope I'll have to get used to that. I'd hate for this to be a one-off."

"Oh, you'll definitely keep getting noticed," Chloe assured, grinning, "Newsflash: _I_ think your art is good, and I'm not even, like, an art critic or anything. So they'll definitely like you!"

"That _is_ good news!" Max agreed, chuckling and stretching a bit, rolling onto her side and smiling down at Chloe, "I hope none of my adoring fans or whoever start pining for my attention or affection, though. You know, because I save most of it for you." She wrapped an arm around Chloe and pulled her closer.

"Sucks to be them then, I guess," Chloe remarked, speaking softly as she brought her face up and nuzzled against Max's cheek, "But good news for me."


	120. Cake

"I'm still impressed with how that place handled your birthday," Chloe remarked as she and Max settled on one of the den's couches, "Like, there was just a nice little cupcake with a candle. Very understated. They didn't even drag out the whole staff to sing to you."

"Yeah, I've been lucky enough to avoid that sort of thing," Max agreed, shrugging and giving a tired smile, "I can sort of see the appeal of having everyone come out and fuss over you and stuff, but ten people clapping at me in front of a crowded restaurant doesn't really work for introverted ol' me."

"I figure that might be beneath the dignity of classy places like that," Chloe suggested, "That's probably in the Zagat guidebook: 'If you have a Somalian, you don't have to sing.'" Max studied her for a moment, looking confused.

"A _sommelier_ ," the brunette corrected after a moment, giggling a little, "I don't know if it's a fanciness thing, though. Like, maybe the waitress could just get a read on me and figured out I wouldn't want the whole song and everything."

"Well, _I_ think it's a fancy thing," Chloe insisted, "It wouldn't surprise me to learn that birthday songs and clapping and cakes with sparklers are considered tacky in the foodie world." Chloe remembered getting the star "birthday song and cake" treatment at a few birthdays back in Arcadia Bay, and she tended to think of her hometown as sort of the opposite of "foodie," and culture more broadly, really. Like, in Arcadia Bay, going out meant the diner, the "Italian" place, or one of the chain restaurants a little ways out from the main drag. Looking back, maybe it was different for other families with a bit more money to throw around, and there'd been more variety springing up in the rebuilding, but that was how Chloe _remembered_ the Arcadia Bay dining scene.

Whatever. Of all the ways Arcadia Bay felt like a backwater, restaurants were some of the things that bothered Chloe least. Living with the Caulfields, now and back in the Fall, she was getting used to fancy food, but she'd been raised on those sorts of diners and chain restaurants. It wasn't like there wasn't room in her life for both. Room in her life _and_ in her stomach.

"Maybe you're right," Max conceded, leaning over to rest her head on Chloe's shoulder, "I feel like the foodie world thinks a lot of things are tacky, so it wouldn't be surprising for singing, clapping, and sparkler cakes or whatever to be on the list."

"I figure there's no reason to think too hard about it," Chloe noted, "Whether it was snobbery or just them having good introvert-dar, you dodged the crazy overload of hella clapping and shit. So you've got that going for you." She put her arm around Max. Not squeezing her, really, just draping an arm around the smaller girl and lightly rubbing her shoulder.

"Sorry they didn't bring you anything, though," Max mumbled, reaching up to take Chloe's hand in hers, "Like, at least a molten lava cake or whatever would have been big enough to share."

"Eh, me and your parents just ordered desserts for ourselves, anyway," Chloe pointed out, closing her eyes and smiling as Max gently stroked the back of her hand with her thumb.

"There's just something about sharing a birthday cake, though," the brunette sighed, "Like, it's symbolic of sharing this year of my life with people and there's a sort of bonding aspect and stuff." She shrugged. "It's not a big deal, honest. I guess it's just the critical art part of my brain or whatever, finding hidden meanings and symbols in random stuff." Chloe had never really thought about it like that. Mainly, she just thought of a birthday cake as a cake. Max's take sure made it feel more meaningful, though. Then again, that was how Max was, sort of studying the world to tease out the layers of meaning in everything. That led to some great things, like excellent photos and super sweet and thoughtful little gestures, but it had also made her see "fate" and think her actions could affect bigass weather systems.

"I could bake you a cake, if you want," Chloe offered, turning to kiss the top of Max's head, "Would that help?" Max cooed and snuggled closer to Chloe.

"You don't have to do that," she said softly, nuzzling into the crook of Chloe's neck, "I don't want to make you go to a bunch of trouble or anything."

"It's not any trouble at all, Max," Chloe replied, holding the smaller girl a little tighter as she got more cuddly, "It's your birthday; you can have whatever your heart desires! Within my power, anyway. I can't, like, give you a rocket ship or anything. But I can totally bake you a cake!"

"It'll be a pretty basic cake," she added hastily, "I don't want you to get your hopes up too high or anything…"

"It'll be a cake _you_ made," Max pointed out, lifting her head to smile at Chloe, "And that's the most important thing, really." Deciding to take yes for an answer, Chloe gave Max one last squeeze and then stood, making her way to the kitchen. Max followed, pressing close again once Chloe stopped at the counter and wrapping both arms around her waist.

Having Max nestle close like that always felt nice. Like, obviously just the physical feeling of Max's embrace was pleasant, and the emotional intimacy was undeniably a factor, but the setting added something extra to the mix. Of all the things Chloe could remember about her parents' marriage before the accident, Mom and Dad hugging each other like that, the one standing behind the other depending on who was cooking or washing, was one of the clearest, and so it had a place in her head as sort of a symbol of romantic domesticity.

They passed the time pretty quietly while Chloe worked. Conversations were pretty difficult when one person had their face pressed into the other's back, granted, but it never felt like there was a _need_ for talking when they were like that. Chloe would hum sometimes, and Max would sigh and coo, but it was mostly just comfortable silence. Of course, Chloe could talk to Max for hours on end, but there was something cozy about just sharing space and contact without it having to be their focus. Plus, it helped Chloe do the mental math of scaling down the recipe to suit their needs, so there was that.

Once the cake was in the oven, they just had to wait a little bit. It would have been easy enough to just go back into the den and chill on one of the couches in there, but Chloe felt a little bit more at ease staying in the kitchen. In her early attempts at baking and cooking she'd had a few smoke alarm disasters, and so she'd just as soon stay close to keep an eye on the cake. She hadn't had an incident like that in months, but she wanted to make damn sure it stayed that way, as long as she was staying in someone else's house and stuff. Not that she wanted to go around burning things once she and Max were living on their own, but at least then the smoke alarm wouldn't be waking and disturbing people who were putting her up indefinitely and rent free…

"Do you feel any different now that you're nineteen?" Chloe asked as she took a seat next to Max at the counter of the kitchen island. She wasn't expecting an especially in-depth answer, of course. That was just sort of what you asked a person on their birthday, Chloe felt like. Max had asked her that on _her_ birthday, after all. Mostly, Chloe just wanted to get the ball rolling on conversation again, and that seemed like as good a way as any.

"Well, it's a prime number, so that's cool," Max noted, shrugging and moving her hand to rest over Chloe's on the counter, "It means I've been a legal adult for a year now, so if I _had_ been doing legal adult things- buying cigarettes and porn, signing release waivers on my own, joining the army- I could make a big deal about how over it all I am now. I haven't been doing any of that, though, so no dice."

"I mean, there's one legal adult thing you've been doing a _lot_ of," Chloe teased, rolling her hand over to lace her finger's between Max's. The brunette opened her mouth to speak, paused, then blushed.

"Okay, yeah, but I'm not 'over it,'" she replied after a second, a smile spreading across her face even as her cheeks stayed pink, "I couldn't pretend to be too cool and past the novelty or whatever on sleeping with you even if I wanted to. And I would never want to." Smiling at that statement and feeling a warm little glow, Chloe brought the back of Max's hand up to her lips for a soft kiss.

"So I guess I don't really feel any different, since you asked," Max summarized, squeezing Chloe's hand gently at the kiss, "I'm finished with high school, which _sort of_ lines up with my age- like, I always knew that eighteen would be Senior Year, and nineteen would start whatever came next- but that's just 'cause of when my birthday is. It's not inherent to being nineteen or anything."

"Nothing's inherent to any age, really," Chloe pointed out, "Laws, school class progressions, formalized rites of passage, all that stuff is human invention."

"Wow. Mind: blown," Max replied, following up by making the _Inception_ noise, "But do you think aging and growing and stuff would be inherent to some ages, maybe?"

"Eh, people develop at different rates and crap," Chloe countered, "It's not like _The Sims_ where you spontaneously turn from a baby to a kid, then from a kid to a grown-ass adult, at set intervals. You can point to around what ages stuff tends to happen, but ultimately stuff's gonna happen when it happens." She had to admit Max had a _bit_ of a point about development and age, but it was vague enough that she figured she could stick to her original statement. It wasn't exactly a high-stakes situation, after all.

"Well, I don't know if anything's supposed to happen at nineteen, but it hasn't so far," Max remarked, giving a noncommittal shrug, "Unless, like, there was some burst of light at midnight or something and I just slept through it."

"Nothing that I saw," Chloe assured, releasing Max's hand just to put an arm around her, "I sure don't remember any cool milestones while I was nineteen, so I wouldn't hold my breath."

"If I held my breath, I wouldn't be able to smell this delicious cake you're baking," Max noted, snuggling in next to Chloe as best as the island bar stools would allow, "So no danger of that happening." Chloe smiled, and turned to plant a kiss on Max's scalp.

They chatted for a while longer, just waiting for the cake to finish. They didn't just sit and stare at the oven of course, but there wasn't really a whole lot else to be done. Max insisted on cleaning the bowls and spoons Chloe had used, which ate a couple minutes, and taking the pre-made frosting from the cupboard took all of another ten seconds. After that it was back to their usual time-killer: Snuggles.

Once the cake was out of the oven, it was just a matter of decorating it. Max was insistent she didn't need anything fancy, but Chloe still tried her best to make the most of the store-bought icing and sprinkles she had on hand. As far as she was concerned, Max deserved her best in everything- cakes, affection, you name it- and she was intent on providing just that. By the time she was done she was hardly staring at a masterpiece, but she was actually reasonably proud of herself, given the situation.

"I grabbed some candles while you were icing and stuff," Max stated, setting two wax numbers on the island counter, "I didn't want to disturb you while you were working or anything. You looked so focused!" She leaned over to look at the cake, flashing Chloe an admiring smile.

"Do you want the lights dimmed and the candles lit and the song and everything?" Chloe asked, grinning. Masterpiece of not, Max seemed happy enough with the cake, and that was what mattered.

"Only if you don't mind," Max replied, her smile turning a little sheepish, "Not so much from strangers in restaurants, but I'd love it from you."

"I _so_ don't mind," Chloe assured, standing the candles up on the cake and facing it towards Max, "I want you to have the full 'good old fashioned birthday experience.' Y'know, since I didn't make the cake big enough for me to jump out of with my tits showing." Max snorted and rolled her eyes, snickering a bit.

"Yeah, I think that would be a bit much to ask of you," Max agreed as Chloe turned to look through the kitchen drawers for a lighter, "I feel like candles and singing works better for an intimate setting like this." After a moment or two of rifling through drawers, Chloe found a lighter and turned back to touch off the candles. Moving quick so that wax wouldn't be dripping too long, she scurried over to the light switch and dimmed the overhead enough that the candles really stood out.

"Happy birthday to you," she sang quietly as she walked around the island to join Max, "Happy birthday to you." She stood behind Max, draping her arms loosely across the brunette's chest and leaning forward.

"Happy birthday dear Maaaaax," she continued, singing even softer now, almost in a whisper into her love's ear, "Happy birthday to you."

Max drew in a breath, waited a second, and then blew out the candles. Having done that, she leaned back against Chloe and they stood there in the near darkness for a moment, comfortable and close. Chloe squeezed Max gently, and Max nuzzled into the crook of Chloe's neck, reaching up to lightly grasp Chloe's arms.

"Happy birthday, love," Chloe murmured, gently rocking Max from side to side, "I hope it's a great year."

"Thanks, darling," Max whispered back, resting against Chloe in silence for another few moments.

"Okay, now let's enjoy this entire cake you made," she said after a minute, grinning up at Chloe in the darkness.


	121. Showtime

Okay, Max would admit it: It was really cool to be in an art show. Like, she'd gotten a sense of that from her San Francisco debut over in the other timeline, but that had felt different. She'd turned in a photo in one of her jumps back, and then just woken up on a plane to California. The opening there had been great, too, but it had also felt super surreal and almost dreamlike. This time, standing in a gallery she'd been to before in the city she knew next to her darling Chloe and not rocking a time travel headache, felt a lot more natural.

Granted, she wasn't entirely at ease by any means. Actually displaying her work remained stressful for Max, even when it was work that the gallery had explicitly stated was good enough to show off to the public. What if people said it was bad? What if, weeks from now, nobody had bought it? Or what if they _did_ , and this picture of her would just be hanging in some stranger's living room?

Even with her mind's tendency to run through every possible bad outcome, Max still found that she was enjoying herself more often than not, though. If nothing else, it was fun to see all the _other_ pieces in the show and try to tease out what their artists had been going for. There was also a certain fun to just walking around the gallery with a La Croix in one hand and Chloe on her other arm, seeing and being seen in this little corner of the art world. Max _hoped_ she'd have plenty of other openings like this in the years to come, but even if not she'd always have this one.

"Yours is best, obvs," Chloe remarked as the two of them made the rounds, inspecting each photograph in turn. Max glanced around for a second just to check whether that comment had drawn any glares, and breathed a sigh of relief upon concluding nobody was really paying attention.

"Not so loud!" she admonished in a whisper, "Thanks, though." She blushed and smiled at the compliment even as she tried to shush Chloe. It felt nice to get encouragement, to have a fan. She was reasonably sure that Chloe's assessment was based less in a dispassionate analysis of the composition of all the pieces on offer than in her love for Max, but she enjoyed the praise anyway. It was probably best to keep outright declarations like that to a minimum while they were actually _at_ the opening, of course, but still.

"Yours is best, obvs," Chloe repeated almost inaudibly, turning her head and leaning in to whisper into Max's ear. Then, straightening up and returning to a normal volume, "There, is that better?" Max giggled and leaned her head over to nudge Chloe's shoulder for a moment.

"Sure, that'll work," Max stated, keeping her voice playful, "You can whisper that sort of thing into my ear all night long, if you want."

They continued through the gallery, browsing every photograph before coming full circle and winding up back where they'd started. At this point in the show, it seemed like everyone else had had a similar idea, giving the whole place a once over before mingling to talk about what all they'd seen or circling back to their favorites. It was hard to get a strong sense of anyone's impressions from their first pass, but Max kept glancing over to people as they passed her photo all the same. They _seemed_ to like it. At least, that was what Max tried to tell herself.

Having completed a circuit of the gallery, Max started to drift back over towards her photo. She'd stand nearby and take a closer look at the neighboring pictures while keeping an ear out for what people were saying about her piece. Chloe planted her feet, though, gently tugging her arm from Max's grasp only to take the brunette by the hand and start to lead her in the opposite direction.

"I know what you're doing," Chloe declared, keeping her voice low as Max fell in beside her, "And I'm not gonna let you spend all night worrying about stuff you can't control and getting all anxious. You can't change the picture now, so let's just have a nice time here and relax, and let people say what they'll say." Max opened her mouth to protest, but she honestly wasn't sure what she would say. That actually she technically _could_ go back and change the picture? That she didn't care and she wanted to hear what people thought of the photo? That she was just going over there to look at some _other_ picture that just _happened_ to be near hers?

"Alright, fine," she grumbled, resigning herself to relaxing, "I'll try to have fun if you want." After a second or two of maintaining a pout, she broke into a grin, hugging Chloe's arm again as they moved through the gallery. Having a nice night out had been the original plan, after all, and it was probably for the best that Chloe was insisting on sticking to that plan. Stressing out wouldn't help anything, so she might as well enjoy herself.

Chloe led her to the far side of the gallery, and the two of them just studied the photos over on that end. The piece exactly opposite from Max's was actually pretty interesting, an extreme closeup of a pair of glasses set in front of a black backdrop. The flecks of dust and sediment left over from rain drops were lit up, and looked like stars against the black background. Or, at least, that was what the little blurb posted near it said the artist was going for. It wasn't _exactly_ like looking at a night sky, but Max still liked the concept, if nothing else.

Max was able to keep herself more or less distracted after that. Chloe helped too, of course. Having the taller girl to cling to and whisper soothing things to her was probably the key to the whole "not stressing too much" project, if she was being honest. She liked to think that _some_ of it was just her maturing ability to control herself, though.

"Okay, are you feeling good and relaxed now?" Chloe asked once they'd browsed a bit longer, "Ready to go and mingle without freaking out?" Max considered the question for a moment and took a deep breath.

"Yeah, I'm ready," she declared, "Let's go schmooze." For all Chloe had been admonishing her to just leave everything be with the photo and stuff, they'd both known going in that Max would have to actually talk to someone about her work at some point tonight. If she wanted to make any sort of impression, anyway. Which was ultimately kind of the whole point. She was ready, though. She could do this.

Leading Chloe this time, Max made her way back towards her photo. She wasn't entirely sure _what_ she was supposed to be doing, really, so she resolved to just sort of hang around the picture and weigh in if anyone seemed to take an interest. There had been a few "art shows" in high school where those were the instructions, but she wouldn't be shocked if a grown up art show had different rules. It was her best bet, though.

That worked well enough, as it turned out. People were able to piece together that she was the artist, whether because they took a look at her name tag or because they noticed her sort of fidgeting nearby. Max felt sure she noticed some backhanded jabs in a few people's remarks, but overall reactions were generally positive. A few people seemed to even _really_ like it, which was flattering. As the night wore on it looked increasingly unlikely that someone was going to be walking out of the gallery with her photo that very night, but all the artwork would be on display for another few weeks, so there was plenty of time for it to get sold. Even if it didn't, Max had been seen and gotten her name and work out in front of people. That was a good first step, if nothing else.

The evening wound down eventually, and the gallery started to close up for the night. Everyone sort of made their way around to say their goodbyes to old friends and new contacts, and a group of people had made spontaneous plans to go get some drinks, but the opening was pretty much over. The pictures would be displayed for a while yet in the gallery, to be seen and sold, and eventually they'd be switched out for something new. Regardless, Max's part was finished.

"What now?" she asked as she and Chloe stepped out onto the sidewalk, taking the taller girl by the hand.

"I dunno," Chloe replied, shrugging and turning to smile at Max, "Dinner? What do you wanna do?"

"What do _you_ wanna do?" Max asked right back, "I've already taken up a couple hours with my show and stuff. I don't want to dominate the whole night or anything." Chloe snorted and waved her hand dismissively.

"Max, the show was what this whole night was about," she insisted, "Besides, I loved getting to witness your big art world debut!" Chloe hadn't given any sign she _hadn't_ been enjoying herself at the show, and had explicitly said she was having fun a few times, but Max still felt a little bad. Like, Chloe could insist all she wanted that she was just "along for the ride" or "arm candy" or whatever, but really she'd been looking after Max all evening, the brunette knew.

"I'm glad you had a good time," Max stated, starting to walk aimlessly down the sidewalk with Chloe falling in beside her, "But the rest of the night is just for us, and so I'm more than happy to just do whatever you want!" Chloe smiled and sighed, apparently resigning herself to her fate.

"Well, I didn't really end up eating too many of those hors d'ouevres they had there at the show," Chloe remarked, "So, I mean, I guess my first idea is still my best idea. Where can we get some dinner?" Max pulled out her phone to check the time. It wasn't _late_ late, but late enough that a lot of kitchens would be closing soon.

"The 5 Point Café is open all night," Max stated, "So that'd be an option, if we don't want to worry about keeping wait staff after closing or whatever." Chloe grinned.

"I've been hankering for some 24-hour dive food," the blue haired girl noted, "These last few months, I've been eating way too responsibly."

"I wouldn't really think of The 5 Point Café as a _dive_ , per se," Max insisted, "But yeah, it's open all day and all night every day, so it's kind of like the Two Whales. Has all night breakfast, too. I know you've missed that."

"Okay, now you're speaking my language," Chloe declared, practically bouncing up and down, "Lead on!"

One Lyft ride later, they were at their restaurant, sitting down to enjoy a late dinner. Max had never exactly been the sort of person to stay out super late, even in a big city like Seattle that had stuff going on at all hours. Ironic as it was, she'd spent a lot more nights out with Chloe in Arcadia Bay than she ever had in her adopted hometown. Still, she'd managed to hit the 5 Point a couple times over the course of her years in Seattle, and it always gave her a sense of calm. Like, the place could be rowdy or dead, depending on the day and circumstances, but it had always been a place where Max rested at the end of a long day and evening of adventuring in her city.

They'd gotten in after people coming in for a late dinner but before people rolling in for midnight snacks and drunchies, so the place was pretty quiet. As quiet as it tended to get, anyway. Max was used to sort of getting lost in a crowd and just letting it move around her, but she did appreciate the more muted atmosphere just then. After being "on" for a couple hours at the show, a more or less calm spot to just unwind and be herself with Chloe was just what she needed.

"Now that you've had a few minutes to process, how do you think the show went?" Chloe asked, "Hungry for more of that sweet, sweet art world prestige?" Max snorted a little and flashed a tired smile, slouching back and sinking into her seat a little as she glanced over the menu.

"I mean, I think time has yet to tell whether I've got _any_ art world prestige," she countered, "Nevermind _more_." She glanced around, as if anyone but Chloe was listening in. It was silly, but Max still had a fear of jinxing things.

"But yeah, I could stand to do that again," she went on once she was satisfied Victoria Chase or some Seattle counterpart of hers wasn't going leap out from under a table and call Max arrogant or snooty or something, "Like, nobody was fawning over me or anything, but I thought I got a pretty good reception, all things considered. Pretty good for a nineteen year old displaying her first public work, anyway."

"To be fair, I'd _wanted_ to fawn over you, but you told me not to make a scene," Chloe pointed out, smirking.

"I think you're exact words were, 'I'm gonna tell them that your picture makes their pictures look like ass,'" Max noted, snickering, "Which, while I appreciate the enthusiasm, was probably not a great way to make an impression." She bumped Chloe's foot with her own.

"Hey, there were a couple 'tasteful nudes' or whatever on display," Chloe countered, bumping Max's foot right back, "So there was definitely an ass component to those."

"I guess I can't argue with that," Max conceded, shrugging and laughing a little, "Still, thanks for playing it cool and just being there for me. I liked having you whispering encouragement more than I think I would have liked you picking fights."

"Hopefully you'll have plenty more successful shows," Chloe remarked, "And you'll get to a point where you believe how great you are, and you don't need me to whisper encouragement."

"I'll still encourage you," she added, reaching across the table to set her hand over Max's, "Just, like, because I like to. You won't _need_ me." Max just looked into Chloe's eyes for a moment, taking a few seconds to enjoy the contact and to let the words hang in the air.

"I'll always need you," Max replied softly, leaning in over the table and placing her other hand over Chloe's now, "Even if I end up as the most famous and popular artist in the world, I'll still need you." Even in the dim light, Max could see Chloe blush.

"I mean, I'm just one person," Chloe mumbled, starting to pull her hand away before apparently thinking better of it and leaving it between Max's, "Not even an important art person or anything."

"You're important to me, though," Max insisted, "You're the most important person in my life, and you'll always be the most important person in my life, and I'll always need your love and encouragement." Chloe leaned in and sighed, giving Max the slightly bewildered smile she got sometimes when their conversations got sweet. Max felt a twinge of sadness at the idea that sweetness and love had been so alien to Chloe that she was still getting used to them after nearly a year, but mostly she just enjoyed making Chloe smile.

"Well good," Chloe breathed after a moment, "Because those aren't going anywhere."


	122. Here

Oof. Chloe hadn't been paying super close attention to the passage of time for the last couple years, but Max's birthday and then her art show had sort of anchored late September. Granted, Chloe hadn't checked a calendar lately, but she was pretty sure she still knew what came after September: October.

Last October had been… Hectic. The first half had been, anyway. Chloe had spent the latter part of the month just chilling at the Caulfield house, just like she was doing now. But those first couple weeks had been crazy. The incidents with Nathan, reuniting with Max, breaking and entering… Finding Rachel… Then to top it all off had been the bigass storm and running away with Max.

Things were definitely a lot more laid back this October. Chloe didn't want her life to get super boring and bland or anything, but how did that curse go? "May you live in interesting times," right? She'd always rolled her eyes and grumbled about how dull Arcadia Bay was, but those last few days before she and Max made a break for it had been way too "interesting" for her taste. Compared to that, Chloe was more than happy to just chill out with Max and not worry so much. The whole "where will we live?" and "how will we make money?" questions still loomed, naturally, but at this point those were way less stressful than "where has Rachel been for the last six months?!" or "Is the gun being shoved into my stomach loaded?!"

Max seemed to have been feeling October pangs, too. She hadn't outright _said_ that or anything, but Chloe could sort of tell. It showed in the way Max held her that little bit tighter when they hugged, and the relief that flashed on her face when she caught sight of Chloe coming into a room. It showed in the way Max startled a little more easily, and how she double and triple checked not just her own seatbelt but Chloe's too every time they got into the truck or a car. Early October was making Chloe melancholy, but it was making Max nervous.

That made sense, if Chloe thought about it. Like, her own memories of last October had moments of active danger- getting drugged and fucking kidnapped, Nathan pulling a gun on her, Frank making threats, and the storm- but the emotions she most associated with those couple weeks were impotent anger and grief, with some guilt thrown in. Max had seen her die several times, though. Her and others. Chloe might've remembered seething the whole time, but Max had been panicked and frantically trying to keep Chloe, herself, and as many other people as she could alive for like five days straight, with some pretty stiff resistance.

With all that in mind, Chloe decided to just let Max sleep in. And if that meant that she would just have to stay in bed too so that she didn't disturb Max, well, that was a price she was willing to pay. It wasn't like the job listings were going anywhere.

"I have you," Chloe whispered as Max stirred and mumbled, "I've got you." She wasn't sure whether Max was actually dreaming, or if she was having a bad dream, even, but Chloe wasn't gonna take a chance on that. Besides, Max had told her months ago to just go ahead and wake her up if she was seemed like she was having a nightmare.

Sure enough, Max stopped fretting as Chloe ran a hand through her hair and continued to whisper. The brunette didn't say anything or look up, but she squeezed Chloe for a moment and pressed her cheek against Chloe's chest. Taking her cue from Max, Chloe wrapped her arms around the smaller girl and held her tight.

"You're here," Max noted, speaking softly and still pressing her face into Chloe's chest and shoulder.

"I'll always be here," Chloe replied quietly, leaning in to press a soft kiss to the top of Max's head, "Don't worry. I'm not going anywhere."

"I know," Max stated, tilting her head up to offer Chloe a halfhearted smile, "I just wish my subconscious or whatever would catch up."

"So you _were_ having a nightmare then, huh?" Chloe asked, frowning a bit and rubbing Max's shoulder a bit. Max nodded.

"I've just got an overactive imagination, I guess," she grumbled, "Or maybe I'm just paranoid, like things have been too good for too long, and everything's gonna fall apart or something."

"And there's no reason why that would happen," Max went on, sighing, "All the bad stuff that happened last year, it wasn't fate. We're not 'marked' or anything. My jerkbrain just doesn't seem to get that."

"I mean, I feel like it's pretty normal to get anxious about traumatic stuff on anniversaries and shit," Chloe pointed out, "Doesn't make it any more pleasant or anything, but it's not, like, a _bad_ sign we're uneasy a year out."

"Now that I'm awake, at least I can focus on how here you are," Max murmured, resting her head back down against Chloe's chest, "You're here and you're staying here."

"Well, like, I'll be getting out of bed at some point, probably," Chloe pointed out, smiling a little and going back to stroking Max's hair, "But yeah, in the broader sense."

"Broader sense is fine," Max replied, scooting up a bit to nuzzle into the crook of Chloe's neck, "I like broad."

"Yes, Max, I know you like broads," Chloe teased, "I have a mountain of evidence for this fact. It is super well-documented." That earned a snicker from Max, which was a relief. Chloe had said herself that it was perfectly normal to still be a little tense at this point, but that didn't mean she wasn't going to try and do something about it. Especially if part of Max's enduring stress from last October had to do with her, Chloe wanted to balance it out with comfort from her end. Snuggles and affection were part of that, but bad jokes were also an integral part of her process.

"Um, I can only travel back and forth in my own life, not all the way back to the Twenties," Max said, a smile in her voice, "Besides, you came rolling into my life with danger on your heels and a cigarette in your hand. If my noir knowledge is accurate, that would make you more of a dame."

"How fitting," Chloe remarked, "There _is_ nothing quite like me, is there?"

"If we're stealing from _South Pacific_ , that would put us more in the Forties, not the Twenties," Max pointed out, giggling a little, "Or, I guess the Fifties is when the movie version came out. But it was still _set_ in the Forties."

"Whatever," Chloe jokingly grumbled, "Twenties, Forties, Fifties- If it happened before _Star Wars_ but after the Civil War, it's all the same in my head."

"That's an… _Interesting_ approach to history," Max laughed, rolling onto her side and scooting up further to bring her head even with Chloe's, "Between the Civil War and _Star Wars_ is, like, over a hundred years."

"History was never one of my strengths," Chloe stated, shrugging and turning her head to face Max. She tried her best to keep a nonchalant attitude, but she was feeling so relieved that they were joking around now. They both had heavy stuff on the brain- especially Max, it felt like- so distraction was welcome. "There's, like, 'Modern Times,' then _Star Wars_ , then some weird-ass time when everyone sort of-" She put on a World War II radio announcer voice. "-talked like this!"

"Then there's the Civil War, then 'Colonial Times' or whatever," she went on in her normal voice, "Like, with muskets or guns with funnel barrels and shit. Then I guess there's the Dark Ages with knights, then Rome, and before that was Egypt, I guess?" To be fair, that was a pretty significant oversimplification of Chloe's understanding of history. She'd been telling the truth that it wasn't her strongest subject, but she was pretty solid on general Western Civ knowledge. Still, Chloe was more than happy to play dumb for the sake of a joke.

"Well, you've got the order right, at least," Max noted, an amused smirk flashing across her face, "You're such a goofball." She leaned down to plant a light kiss on the tip of Chloe's nose.

"I mean, if you hadn't noticed that by now, I don't know what to tell you," Chloe replied after taking a second to just smile up at Max, "You knew what you were signing up for."

"I did," Max agreed, settling back down against Chloe and nuzzling against the taller girl's neck, "A lifetime with you." Chloe wrapped her arms around Max again and held her tight.

"And I promise that's what you're gonna get," she murmured, "Years and years and years of me and my goofy jokes."

"Good," Max whispered, squeezing Chloe again, "That's what I want more than anything: You and your goofy jokes. Here with me. Always."


	123. Peace of Mind

"Are you back?" Chloe asked from across the kitchen counter, a pen in her hand and a smile on her face. For her part, Max was disoriented and shook her head a little, trying to get her bearings. The last thing she remembered was snapping a selfie out in the back yard, trying to take advantage of some nice autumn light. Glancing out the window, it looked to be about the same time, so she couldn't be missing more than a couple minutes. She looked down at the polaroid still in her hand, and realized what was up.

"Um, yeah," Max stammered after a moment, "Yeah, I'm back. Sorry, I was sort of confused for a second."

"Don't worry about it. It's fine," Chloe assured, setting her pen down on the pad she'd been writing on and stepping around the kitchen island to reach Max. Without thinking too hard about it, Max settled into Chloe's hug, just nestling into her arms for a moment.

"So, uh, what was up?" Max asked after Chloe had released her, sitting on one of the bar stools. When she took a selfie specifically to come back through later she usually braced herself and prepared for the jarring feeling of losing a couple minutes all of a sudden, but she hadn't been planning on that this time. Whatever was happening, it had to be happening in the next couple days, or she'd just have used a more recent selfie. Or a future selfie. Assuming she kept on taking selfies. Maybe she'd come back in time to warn that she would never take another selfie?

Chloe didn't seem shaken or anything, though, so whatever it was couldn't be particularly bad. If anything, she seemed excited. Still grinning at Max, she leaned across the kitchen island and pulled over the notepad she'd been writing on. From what Max could see at a glance, it didn't make any sense. Just a date, a couple times, and a bunch of abbreviations, all scrawled above a set of curt instructions and a URL.

"There is," began Chloe, milking the moment a little, "Going to be a major stock market dip in a week." She glanced down at the notepad. "October 15th, to be exact." Max raised her eyebrows. They'd _talked_ about using her time powers to predict the stock market, but she was only ever half-convinced she'd ever act on it.

"Things perk back up by the end of the day," Chloe went on, "Don't worry. It's not, like, a big meltdown or anything. But to hear you tell it- or, future-you tell it- that gives us a window to pick up some cheap stocks." She oriented the notepad towards Max, and shuffled around to stand beside the brunette.

"These are the ones you said would be the best choices," she explained, pointing to the list of abbreviations on the page, "The ones that go lowest and end highest or whatever."

"I guess it's good I saved a bunch of my graduation and birthday money," Max remarked, still processing what Chloe was saying. With the amount of money she had squirreled away- just a few hundred dollars, between graduation, birthday, and one of those kiddie savings account things she'd started as a kid- it seemed like they weren't about to strike it rich. Still, it was a start. Max wasn't exactly a market analyst, but she knew enough from listening to shop talk at holidays from her family in the financial sector that the sort of dramatic change in price it would take to turn her hundreds into hundreds of thousands was pretty rare and, honestly, dangerous. Building up over time seemed safer to her, taking advantage of dips in the market she could predict with time travel. Assuming it worked _this_ time, of course, which was yet to be seen.

"Yeah," Chloe agreed, "I stashed a bit of the Wells money, so I can pitch in some, too. We've just gotta set up a profile on one of those online stock trading sites."

"Sounds like a plan," Max said, giving a smile and getting to her feet, "And it'll be up and ready by the time we need it, right?"

"Should be," Chloe assured, "Like, future-you was pretty thorough with the planning."

"Must be a side effect of the overthinking," Max suggested. Chloe snickered.

"Turns out it comes in handy," she noted, tearing off the sheet from the notepad, folding it up, and sticking it in her pocket, "I'd probably just play it by ear and screw the whole thing up!" She took Max by the hand and began walking towards the den.

"Well, you'd also be able to rewind until you got it right," Max pointed out as Chloe led her to the couch, "You'd make it work." They both plopped down on the couch.

"Yeah, but you got it right on the first try," Chloe insisted, "Second try? Time travel is weird." Max shrugged and leaned forward to retrieve her laptop from the coffee table.

"It sure is," she agreed, opening her browser and pulling up the website from the instructions her future self had left for the two of them, "Speaking of, you should probably set up our account password and stuff. I'm, um, not actually going to remember any of this." She slid the computer off her lap and onto Chloe's.

"Do you ever look back and wonder what all went down in the bits you forget?" Chloe asked as she began filling out the new account page.

"Not really," Max stated, shrugging and leaning over to rest her head on Chloe's shoulder, "It seems to only _really_ change if I alter something big, or a long time ago. I'm probably gonna live the next few days the way I did the first time around. And if anything is super different, you'll be able to tell me."

"Of course," Chloe assured, tilting her head over to nuzzle against Max's scalp for a moment, "I promise I'll only ever embellish a _little_ bit." Max snorted.

"I mean, I keep a diary," she pointed out, snickering a little, "I was doing that even _before_ I found out I could travel through time and shit. But, like, I can refer back to that when I need to see what all happened."

"I hope things never change too much," Chloe said after a few seconds of silence, "I- I like the idea of really sharing my life with you, and I'd hate for it to be sorta 'off,' y'know?" She handed the computer back over to Max. "You can, uh, you can put in your bank info now. I just did mine."

"I've been trying to live the best life I can," Max explained, logging into online banking in a different tab, "Looking back on the last-" She thought for a second before realizing that it was almost _exactly_ a year since she and Chloe had run away together. "-year, I've got no regrets. So, this life we're living together, I wouldn't change a thing. I _haven't_ changed a thing. Not long term, anyway. This is just, like, a week." She connected the accounts, and set a big chunk of her savings to transfer.

"I guess I won't remember telling you this," Max went on, setting her computer aside, "But I'll remember thinking it, because I'm always thinking it." She shifted around to face Chloe more directly, and pulled the taller girl around a bit to look towards her. "I love every moment I spend with you, Chloe. Not all of them are perfect- not all moments _can_ be- but they're all a part of our relationship and our shared life and I treasure them all. I'd never overwrite them." Chloe stared at her quietly for a moment, a smile spreading across her face and tears glistening in the corners of her eyes.

"I'm glad you feel that way," the taller girl mumbled, sniffling for a second and hastily wiping her eyes, "It has been a year, too. Shit. Sorry, I guess I should know better by now than to, like, worry and be insecure and stuff." Even as she apologized, she pulled Max close for a tight embrace.

"I don't mind putting your fears to rest," Max whispered, pressing herself close and looking into Chloe's eyes, "No matter how often you feel anxious or uneasy or anything, I will gladly show you how much I love you. I'd hate to ever let you think I didn't love you as much as you love me. Or more, maybe." She winked at Chloe, saying the last bit with a bit of a tease in her tone.

"Not sure that's possible," Chloe breathed, having more or less regained her composure, "I love you, like, a whole fucking lot." Gently but firmly, she pulled Max up onto her lap.

"And I love _you_ a whole fucking lot," Max replied softly, getting comfortable and nuzzling her cheek against Chloe's, "So I guess we've come to a stalemate."

"We can call it a tie for now," Chloe murmured, lightly running a hand along Max's spine, "Once we're living a life of luxury and counting our millions, we can start trying to one-up each other." Max snorted softly and grinned, turning to plant a kiss on Chloe's cheek.

"Sounds like a plan," she agreed, resting forward against Chloe, "Just so long as I can still shower you in affection in the meantime." It occurred to her that, once they reached the point she'd come back from, she'd forget having this conversation. She'd read about it in her diary, but she wouldn't _remember_ it. Luckily, showering Chloe in affection was her default setting.


	124. A Year Out

Max had been sort of out of it all day. Chloe knew _why_ , of course. A year ago today had been when the tornado-hurricane-thing had hit Arcadia Bay. With the benefit of some time and distance, they'd both been able to reason out that they hadn't _caused_ the storm, luckily. At the time, though, Chloe and Max had been convinced the whole thing was somehow their fault, and that had made an already stressful situation way, way worse.

Obviously, it wasn't as bad as it had been the actual day of. "Sort of out of it" was a far cry from outright catatonic, and they'd both been able to keep themselves distracted. It just seemed to sort of be weighing on her mind a bit, just like it was for Chloe. An outside observer wouldn't have been able to even tell, probably, but Chloe felt it.

The whole thing was complicated by the fact that the day _after_ the storm was their anniversary. Or it was what Chloe counted as their anniversary, at least. Their relationship in general didn't follow the usual blueprint, but that first week and a half or so had been especially out of the ordinary. They'd slept together, then a couple days later they'd exchanged vows, then a couple days after _that_ they'd settled that they were, in fact, dating. Never mind that it wasn't for more than a month after that that they'd gone "Facebook official," but Chloe figured that wasn't really worth citing as an anniversary, as such. Just because that was when they'd told the world didn't make everything that had come before that not count.

So, on the one hand, Chloe was feeling kind of glum about the town getting pummeled and people dying and everything, but on the other she was a little giddy about marking an entire year with Max. A year! Chloe was looking forward to years and years and years to come, but the knowledge she and Max had been together for a whole year still felt monumental. Prior to her reunion with Max, Chloe hadn't really had much experience with _anything_ long-term and stable, relationship or otherwise.

When the two of them got into bed that night, Max pressed herself close, holding Chloe tight and nuzzling into her shoulder. They snuggled up together pretty much every night, of course, but this time was a lot more pronounced. Chloe assumed it was because of the whole "year since the storm" thing, but it being the eve of their anniversary could also account for eager cuddles. Assuming Max remembered. Chloe hoped she remembered.

"I made the right choice," Max declared softly, "A year ago. I made the right choice." Chloe gave Max a gentle squeeze and leaned down to kiss the top of her head.

"Well, I sure appreciate getting to be alive still," Chloe remarked, stroking Max's hair, "Glad you're not sick of me yet." Maybe levity wasn't really what the situation called for, but it was Chloe's go-to. In all honesty, she wasn't entirely sure how she was supposed to respond to that. It was a moving sentiment, of course, there just wasn't exactly a script for it.

"Like, I guess it's sort of a moot point," Max went on, "I couldn't have stopped the storm anyway, I don't think. But for the choice I _thought_ I was making, I still think I made the right one."

"That- That means a lot to me," Chloe murmured after a moment of silence, "I'm not sure I'm really worth all that…"

"You are to me," Max stated, "And, like, if a place needs you to die in order to keep on existing, that place can go fuck off." Chloe snorted even as she teared up a little.

"Loving the attitude there, Max," she managed to tease between sniffles, "I guess I've continued to be a good bad influence on you." The smaller girl squeezed her for a second.

"I'm always so happy you can continue being a good bad influence on me," Max breathed, "Twelve months. Fifty two weeks. Three hundred sixty five days. Five hundred twenty five thousand six hundred minutes. For all of that, I've cherished you and been happy you're here with me. In the world, in my life, and in my bed."

"Same," Chloe agreed, returning Max's squeeze, "I love that I get to share this life with you. That's how you really saved me, I think. You've given me a life worth living, and I'm glad for that even every hour and every second, on top of the months, weeks, days, and minutes."

"Well, I mean, I'm happy to have you around _then_ , too," Max noted, relaxing her grip on Chloe just a little, "I just don't know how many hours or seconds there are in a year. Just the minutes."

"It really is unfortunate that _Rent_ isn't given the credit it deserves as educational programming," Chloe remarked, smiling a little at her own joke, "It wasn't exactly _Sesame Street,_ but it taught us all that random time fact." Max snickered, and Chloe smiled a bit wider knowing she'd managed to lighten Max's mood.

"I mean, musicals tend to have pretty lousy educational content to drama ratios," Max pointed out, a smile in her voice, "Like, _Book of Mormon_ is fun, but listening to the original Broadway cast recording didn't leave me with an in-depth knowledge of Mormonism _or_ Ugandan politics."

"God, now my whole world's coming apart!" Chloe said, "What if 'hasa diga eebowai' isn't even really a Swahili phrase? Or- Do they speak Swahili in Uganda?"

"Everything I know about Uganda comes from that musical and one viewing of _Kony 2012_ ," Max explained, shrugging and folding her arms across Chloe's chest then resting her chin on them, "Neither are particularly reliable sources, even if they did cover language info."

"We could always just look it up on the internet-connected infinite information devices we've got charging on the nightstand," Chloe suggested, chuckling a little. She didn't particularly _care_ about what languages were spoken in Uganda, but she was glad that the conversation was going in a lighter direction. Generally speaking, she was onboard for big romantic professions of love and stuff, but there would be plenty of those tomorrow. For this evening, she was satisfied to just distract Max from too many heavy thoughts.

"Nah, not worth it," Max declared, smiling lazily at Chloe, "To get at our phones, either I'd have to roll off of you to reach over, or you'd have to let go of me. And I don't want either of those things to happen. I just wanna keep on cuddling."

"Hey, that works for me," Chloe replied, grinning and lifting her head enough to pull another pillow under it, "I can pretty much cuddle indefinitely." Max cooed and rested her head back down against Chloe's chest.

"I guess one of us will have to reach over and turn off the lamp at some point, though," she sighed, "But that can wait some. We slept in. We'll probably still be awake for a while."

"Probably," Chloe agreed, adjusting the covers a little just to wrap Max up and get all cozy, "And even if not, then the lamp will just be on overnight. No big deal."

"No big deal," Max repeated wistfully, already sounding a little sleepy.

Around this time a year ago was when they'd been trying to get to sleep in a motel someplace, by Chloe's estimation. Or really, they'd gotten into bed even earlier then. She'd been exhausted, Chloe remembered, and sleep had come mercifully quickly. Not quickly enough, she'd thought at the time, crying silently and staring at the ceiling.

Looking back, Chloe couldn't really point to _why_ she'd tried so hard to keep quiet. Like, the only other person there was Max, and she sure as hell wasn't gonna judge Chloe for crying just then. Some of it had to have been not wanting to keep Max awake, granted, but beyond that Chloe was at a loss. It hadn't even made all that much sense at the time. Nothing had, honestly. If she had to try and articulate what her reasoning had been, Chloe would say she hadn't wanted to push any extra doubt or stress onto Max. Making an impossible choice, or what they'd thought then was a choice, had been hard enough without having to worry about comforting her.

Things had started looking up the next day, though, and they'd stayed pretty positive ever since. Like, the last year hadn't been _all_ smiles and rainbows- Having to go over everything again for the police had been pretty harrowing, plus there was just the more mundane struggle of having to be apart for days at a time- but it had been pretty wonderful, all things considered. Chloe's life leading up to the storm had had enough drama and danger to last her a lifetime. She was more than happy to enjoy a life with Max where their biggest concern was whether they left the bedside lamp on when they fell asleep.

In time, Max seemed to drift off, and Chloe could feel herself starting to fade, too. Trying not to jostle her bedmate too much, she reached out to click off the lamp. She wasn't as careful as she'd hoped, it turned out, because Max stirred a bit as Chloe brought her arm back around the shorter girl.

"Sorry, just turning off the light," Chloe whispered, stroking Max's hair lightly.

"'S fine," Max mumbled, nuzzling into Chloe's shoulder a little, "What time is it?" Figuring the damage was already done, Chloe reached over again, this time to check her phone.

"Just after midnight," she reported.

"Happy anniversary, then," Max sighed softly, giving Chloe a gentle squeeze, "I'm gonna go back to sleep now. So, like, I can wake up and have it actually be morning and we can go do what I've planned. G'night." The words came rambling and groggy, but Chloe still felt her heart fluttering. She leaned her head up to press a kiss to Max's scalp, then let her head fall back onto the pillow.

"Goodnight, love," she breathed, shutting her eyes and letting herself be lulled by Max's deep, steady breathing, "Happy anniversary."


	125. Happy Anniversary

"This hill is ridiculous," Chloe whined, "Literally who in the hell looked at Seattle and was like 'hey, we should build stuff here!'?"

"The Duwamish, I think?" Max replied, "And then the Collins and Denny Parties, if my memory of the local history I learned in high school is accurate. Which, I mean, it might not be, because it's not like I was a super attentive fifteen-year-old or anything."

"I guess all those people were hardier than me," Chloe panted, "Nineteenth-century types who, like, carried cows across the prairie or whatever."

"Pioneers didn't carry cows," Max insisted, laughing, "In _Oregon Trail_ you've gotta buy oxen to pull your wagon, so if anything, cows carried pioneers."

"Well, since I'm not a pioneer _or_ a cow, I lack the folksy strength you'd need to overlook hills like this," Chloe declared, "I don't got 'hike across a continent' legs, I've got spindly little 'sleep in 'til eleven' legs."

"We're almost there," Max assured, "Come on, you can do this. I believe in you!"

Admittedly, Queen Anne hill _was_ one of the more challenging hills in Seattle. This wasn't the first time Chloe had remarked- well, remarked, whined, complained, moaned- about Seattle hills, but she had been adjusting to them relatively well, all things considered. The University of Washington main campus was pretty much a mile-long hill, and they'd wandered around there plenty of times without much issue.

Whining was just sort of something Chloe did sometimes. In Seattle it was the hills, in Arcadia Bay it had been the sleepiness of the town. If they moved to Portland Max was confident that Chloe would find something to whine about there, too. She hadn't once balked at going out on an adventure in the city, though, so Max got the sense it was more of just a quirk or habit than an actual sign of dissatisfaction. Max had seen Chloe when she was _actually_ upset, and this wasn't it.

With luck, what Max had planned would override any grumbling. It wasn't really all that extravagant or involved or anything, she had to admit. Neither of them really had the resources to pay for big fancy dinners or anniversary vacations, though. Maybe next year, or a few years from now, they'd be able to do something big and exciting, but today would hopefully still be pretty nice.

Luckily, it was something Max had planned _before_ her time jump, and she'd tried her best to move forward just the way she'd been meaning to. With luck, it would happen this time around more or less the way she'd remember it after the fifteenth. Granted, there would be decades of anniversaries to enjoy, but this was their _first_ anniversary, and Max wanted to remember it forever. Like, she would either way, but she wanted to remember it the way Chloe would remember it.

"We made it!" Max declared, coming to a halt at the landing in Kerry Park and turning to wait for Chloe to make it up the last few steps. Looking up to flash a relieved grin, Chloe nodded her acknowledgment and powered through to reach Max, letting herself be led over to a bench.

"This really _is_ a pretty great view," Chloe noted breathlessly as Max settled down beside her, nestling in under her arm, "It's got the Space Needle and downtown, then the sound over there." She gestured lazily to indicate each. "And just the greenery and natural beauty is nice. I can see why pioneers would set down their cows to rest here, turn and see this, and decide to put down roots." Max snorted and rolled her eyes at Chloe's continuation of her odd "pioneers carrying cows" image, nuzzling into the crook of the taller girl's neck.

"Yeah, that's why they call it Kerry Park," Max stated, wrapping her arms around Chloe to pull herself closer, "Because it was as far as settlers carried their livestock before deciding to stay put."

"It's spelled different, though," Chloe observed, a smile in her voice as she idly played with Max's hair.

"That's just because spelling wasn't standardized back then," Max explained, giving a slight shrug and just committing to the bit, "It used to be 'Ye Olde' Kerry Park before they streamlined the name. Pioneers- the ones who didn't die of dysentery, anyway- climbed up this hill and planted their cows. East Coast cow trees don't grow well here, though, so they had to learn to love the local salmon shrubs." Chloe snickered and gave Max a gentle squeeze.

"You're a goofball," she murmured, tilting Max's face up with her free hand and leaning in.

"You started it," Max pointed out, smiling as she looked into Chloe's eyes.

"Oh, I'm _definitely_ a goofball," the taller girl replied, "I'm well aware of that. I'm living my truth."

"And what, like I'm usually so serious?" Max teased, "I feel like goofiness goes without saying for both of us." She didn't mind, of course, and she was pretty certain Chloe didn't, either. It was just fun to be playful, to tease each other and flirt.

"I like saying it, though," Chloe insisted, "It's like saying 'you look pretty' or 'I love you.' Even if you already know it, it's nice to say all by itself."

"I love you," Max declared, sitting up just enough to touch her lips to Chloe's for a long, gentle kiss.

"Yup, it works," she stated once she pulled back slightly, "I _did_ enjoy saying that." Chloe broke into a grin and rested her forehead against Max's.

"We're so damn cutesy," Chloe observed, "See? That's another thing we both know that's fun to say out loud." Max giggled softly before resting her head back down against Chloe, enjoying being snuggled up close. It wasn't especially chilly out, but cool enough that the warmth radiating from Chloe's body was pleasant.

Over time, Chloe's heart rate and breathing slowed back down to resting levels, and Max figured it was time to make their trek worth it. Or, well, it was actually pretty nice already, going for a walk with Chloe, being silly together, and now cuddling on a bench. All the same, Max had something planned, and she wanted to go ahead with it.

Standing, Max took Chloe's hand and led her from the bench over the edge of the overlook. Glancing to the side for a second, she moved a little ways down so that they had a good view of the city. The downtown part, anyway. Any way they looked would have been the city. They were _in_ the city. Whatever.

"So, a year ago yesterday we stood on a hill, looking at a town, and I made a choice," Max began, taking both of Chloe's hands in her own and looking up into her blue eyes, "And then a year ago today, I made another choice. I chose to take a chance, be brave, and act on the love that I was feeling."

"I said back then that I wanted to share myself with you," she went on, trying to maintain eye contact as Chloe turned her head for a second to wipe away a few tears on her sleeve, "I like to think that, over the last year, I've gotten better at expressing my feelings. Or, less awkward, at least. But I do stand by the sentiment."

"I wanted to take you to this place, which has the best view of this city I love, to tell you that I _still_ choose you and that I _still_ want to share my bed, my love, and my life with you," Max continued, feeling a few tears of her own starting in the corners of her eyes, "To reaffirm the decision I made a year and a day ago, and to recommit to the decision I made a year ago."

"God, you're so sweet," Chloe breathed, letting go of Max's hands to pull her close and hold her tight, "I love you so damn much."

"And I love you, darling," Max whispered back, wrapping her arms around Chloe.

"Yeah, I was getting that sense," the taller girl teased, kissing Max's forehead and stroking her hair, "I love hearing it, though, every way you say it." Without letting go of one another, they sort of shifted back over to one of the benches and sat down, continuing to kiss and cuddle.

"That was really good," Chloe remarked after a little while, "You're always so thoughtful."

"I'm glad you liked it," Max replied, "Sorry I don't really have anything more exciting planned." Chloe shrugged.

"I mean, you talked a little about the storm and shit," she pointed out, " _That_ was exciting- in the 'may you live in interesting times' sort of way, anyway- so I think this was a perfectly good level of excitement. Still got my heart going, just from moving romantic talk, not terror. Well, moving romantic talk and climbing this bigass hill." Max snorted.

"The hill was worth it, though," Chloe added, "Like, it added nice symmetry or whatever to your speech, when you talked about a year ago versus today and stuff." That was a relief to hear. There had been a part of Max that worried that juxtaposing the view from Kerry Park with the top of Lighthouse Overlook Park during the storm would have just been upsetting to Chloe rather than an enjoyable symbolic callback. She'd been prepared to rewind and undo it if that turned out to be the case, but she was glad she wouldn't have to.

"Oh, the hill was just because I like to make you sweat and hyperventilate," Max teased, smirking up at Chloe, "Totally unrelated to romantic pronouncements."

"Well, you could have saved yourself a lot of trouble," Chloe replied, winking, "There're way better ways to get me sweaty and panting. Ways that don't even need us to leave the house." She snickered to herself, and Max sighed and smiled.

"Plenty of time for that later," she said, nuzzling against Chloe's shoulder.

"I sure hope so," Chloe stated, "Could I interest you in a bubble bath beforehand, though?"

"You got more bubble bath?" Max probed, raising her eyebrows and smiling up at Chloe.

"Went over pretty well last time," the blue haired girl noted, shrugging but unable to hide a blush and a grin.

"I think we can probably fit in a nice relaxing bubble bath sometime between anniversary dinner and sweet, romantic lovemaking," Max declared, "If you're up for going out to dinner, anyway."

"Ooh, you've even got anniversary dinner plans for us?" Chloe asked, "Fancy!"

"Not too fancy, really," Max explained, "But I _did_ find us an all-day breakfast diner that's not entirely unlike the Two Whales, so I hope that will be fun, at least."

"That sounds pretty perfect, honestly," Chloe replied, "Perfect for us, anyway."

"That's all it needs to be perfect for," Max sighed happily, giving Chloe a gentle squeeze and nestling in closer, "Happy anniversary, darling."


	126. Don't Worry

Sure enough, just like Max had said, there was a stock market dip on the fifteenth, and they managed to pick up a bunch of shares for cheap. Or, relatively cheap, anyway. It wasn't exactly the Great Depression, just a momentary upset they knew to take advantage of. Still, the market was already up by the time trading wrapped up for the day, and Max's time powers would let them sell high when the time came. At this rate they'd still have to get jobs if they wanted to get out of the Caulfield house and start their own life in earnest, but this was a good start.

"When will the timelines merge or whatever?" Chloe asked idly, feet up on the coffee table in the den as she and Max slouched on the sofa.

"Dunno," Max replied, shrugging, "In the other timeline I must've somehow learned about the market hiccup, then looked up what stocks would be best to buy, then learned to make an online trading account thing, then found a selfie to go back through, so it could be any time from, like, now through tomorrow, really. I doubt I'd wait around too long. The shorter the timeline rewrite, the better, I think."

"Vanessa does something financial-y, right? Maybe she mentions it at dinner," Chloe suggested, "So then it'd be happening tonight?" Max nodded.

"That might be it," she agreed, "And yeah, Mom works at UBS. That's financial. Like, it's a Swiss bank. I think it's the picture next to the entry for 'financial' in the dictionary."

"She probably deals with way bigger trades than we just did on the reg," Chloe noted, "It's weird to think that, like, the biggest financial transaction of my life is the smallest of potatoes to other people."

"We'll work our way up," Max assured, "We're nineteen and twenty. There's no rush."

"But I want a big fancy house like the grandparents in the show," Chloe whined, gesturing at the TV. Max snorted and leaned over, resting against Chloe.

"I don't think either of us would know what to do with a house like that," she remarked, scooting over and nestling in more fully next to Chloe.

"I mean, this house is pretty fancy," Chloe pointed out, putting her arm around Max, "You've got a bathroom attached to your bedroom, and there's a big dining room _and_ a living room _and_ a den _and_ a guest room."

"This house is nice, not _fancy_ ," Max insisted, nuzzling against Chloe's collarbone, "'Fancy' makes me think of _my_ grandparents' house: All full of stuff you can't touch or that was bought to look nice but not actually be comfortable."

"Yeah, it does seem less appealing when you put it like that," Chloe agreed, "I don't plan on hosting a lot of DAR dinner parties or anything, so a fancy house to impress my socialite frenemies would probably be wasted on me, anyway."

"Besides, we're already planning on a houseboat with a fireplace, wine cellar, and forest backyard, right?" Max noted, "I think making it fancy would probably push out beyond the limits of viability."

"I guess we'll have to make some tough decisions once we've got our stacks of hundos," Chloe sighed, affecting a glum tone even as she grinned, "We really do have it rough."

"If waiting some and deciding how to spend large sums of money are the worst problems we'll have, I can live with that," Max murmured, curling her legs up onto the couch and turned to snuggle in against Chloe's side. Chloe turned the volume down on the TV and focused her attention more fully on the warm little brunette nestled against her.

"Yeah, it's pretty nice feeling like my life is stable and stuff," Chloe agreed, "I think I'm finally starting to get used to the idea that I've got a comfortable future to look forward to, full of hugs and kisses and paid off bills. Even the waiting feels less bad, really. Because I know there's something I'm waiting _for_. Does that make any sense?"

"It does to me," Max replied, nodding against Chloe, "It's like… Walking through the dark, but in a place you know, instead of where there might be a sudden dropoff or a chair in the way or something. There's not that worry that things are just going to end in disaster somehow."

"Eh, I still worry that things will end in disaster," Chloe remarked, tightening her grip on Max a little without really even thinking about it, "But yeah, you kind of got it. That worry feels less immediate now, at least. More just an instinct, or a habit."

"I don't want you to worry at all, though!" Max insisted, looking up at Chloe with loving eyes, "Let me do all the worrying and overthinking and crap. You just focus on taking it easy."

"I think we're both gonna just be stuck with worrying," Chloe stated, shrugging a little but letting herself sink into Max's gaze, "If it was as easy as just deciding not to, I wouldn't. Like, I gave approximately no shits for a couple years, and even then I wound up worrying about stuff. I give lots of shits about you, so you can guess how much I worry now." Max just looked at her for a second with a mix of adoration and amusement, then shrugged and giggled.

"I give lots of shits about you, too," she murmured, still chuckling a little at the phrasing. Chloe gave Max a gentle squeeze and kissed her on the forehead, lingering there for a moment.

"If you really want, I'll try and worry less," Chloe said, "I'll just throw all my energy at snuggling you instead." Max cooed and nuzzled into the crook of Chloe's neck.

"Not sure how much energy snuggling can really take," the brunette remarked, "It's a pretty relaxing activity. I think it is, anyway."

"Snuggling _is_ relaxing," Chloe agreed, running a hand through Max's hair and over her neck, "If I want it to take all my energy, I guess I'll just have to snuggle you a _lot_."

"I like the sound of that," Max sighed, turning her head to press her cheek into Chloe's palm, "Affection is a lot better than worrying." On that note, they went on to just rest on the couch for another hour and change, kissing and cuddling in relative silence with the TV on in the background.

At dinner later that evening, Vanessa did comment on the stock market hiccup, so that answered the question of how Chloe and Max learned about it in the other timeline. Max didn't mention that she and Chloe had used time travel to take advantage of that hiccup, though, and Chloe decided to just follow her lead on that. Ryan and Vanessa were aware that their daughter had time powers, of course, but Chloe wasn't sure if they'd approve of her using them to game the stock market. Like, she had no reason to think they _wouldn't_ be okay with it, but her default setting was to play things close to the chest around adults. Or, older adults. She was an adult. She didn't feel like an adult…

There was always a sort of limbo between dinner and when Ryan and Vanessa went to bed. There'd been something like it at Chloe's house, too, but her place felt too crowded when four people were on the first floor at once. It hadn't felt that way when she'd been younger, but it had the last couple years. Maybe it was just because she'd gotten older and bigger, but she was pretty sure it was because of David. Even now that he didn't have such a stick up his ass, Chloe wasn't exactly eager to just chill in the living room when he was around, so she and Max had tended to retreat to her room.

The Caulfield house was big enough that they could all do their own separate things without really even noticing each other. To some social critic or whatever that would probably be a sign of the collapse of the family or some bullshit, but Chloe loved that she and Max could have some space without having to lock themselves in their bedroom. Vanessa was in the den watching Netflix, with Ryan dividing his time between that and baking in the kitchen. For their part, Chloe and Max were chilling on the patio, killing time on their respective laptops.

"I think it was just about a year ago that we came out here to dance," Max remarked, sitting up and looking over at the yard, "Or maybe not quite today, but, like, _around_ today." Their anniversary had been a couple days ago, so that made sense. Chloe had committed the date they'd defined the relationship to memory, but the rest of the autumn after that got sort of muddled for her. The next date she actually cared about was November 27th, when they'd gone "official."

"Good times" Chloe replied resting back in her deck chair and smiling at Max, "That was some premium cutesy we had going." Max snorted.

"It was," the brunette agreed, "Want to, um, want to be premium cutesy right now?" Chloe raised her eyebrows and grinned wider.

"I am _always_ up for premium cutesy," she declared, getting to her feet and stepping over to the edge of the patio, turning to extend a hand towards Max.

"That's a relief," Max noted, standing and taking Chloe's hand, letting herself be led out onto the grass, "We have a joint stock portfolio now. It'd suck if you were suddenly sick of me or something." She pressed in close, free hand on Chloe's shoulder and head resting in the crook of Chloe's neck.

"Never," Chloe murmured, "Throwing myself into affection keeps me from worrying, remember?" Max nodded, tears starting in the corners of her eyes.

"Yeah," she mumbled, sniffling a little, "I remember still." Chloe wasn't sure what she meant by that for a moment, but it made sense after a couple seconds.

"Think it'll happen soon?" Chloe asked, starting to gently sway, "The timelines meeting, I mean."

"I assume it will," Max sighed, gripping Chloe's shoulder more tightly, "Just based on how much time I think it would take me to do that research and find a photo to go through."

"I did the anniversary stuff like I'd planned before the jump," she went on, "So that'll probably be mostly the same. Nothing else big happened in the last week, really. But I'm going to forget our talk about worrying and snuggling. Or, like, not _forget_ , really. I just won't have lived it. It's not that big a deal, I'm just sad I'll lose some of those little moments." She nuzzled against Chloe, wiping a few tears off on her jacket.

"Hey, don't sweat it," Chloe whispered, squeezing Max gently, "I think we recycle our cutesy banter enough it'll come back around. Even if not, the concept still works: I'll snuggle you so much you won't worry about it." Max tilted her head up to kiss Chloe on the jaw.

"Good," the shorter girl murmured, "That was sort of the idea when I suggested this. When I suddenly drop back into this timeline, I want to be close to you, safe and happy and feeling loved."

"Luckily, showering you in affection is one of my specialties," Chloe remarked, "Close your eyes, keep on dancing, and I'll be here to greet you with a kiss when you come to." That seemed to be enough to satisfy Max, and she nodded gently against Chloe's shoulder. They passed another quarter of an hour or so that way, just slow dancing to hummed music. In time, Max stiffened for a second but immediately relaxed, cooing a little as she nuzzled into the crook of Chloe's neck.

"Sorry," Max whispered, remaining nestled in Chloe's embrace, "I'm not, um, interrupting a moment or anything, am I?" Chloe shook her head.

"Nah, you're good," she assured, "This was actually your idea, so that you'd pop into the timeline in a comfortable setting."

"Well, it worked," Max confirmed, lifting her head to smile at Chloe, "Nothing helps a time travel headache like Chloe cuddles."

"What about forehead kisses?" Chloe asked, grinning and leaning in to do just that.

"Those help too," Max replied, cooing again and resting her forehead against Chloe's after the kiss, "You take such good care of me." Chloe felt a warm little glow at those words.

"I try," she said, lightly brushing the tip of Max's nose with her own, "I might not bring any time travel powers to the mix, but I can sure dish out hugs and kisses."

"Perfect," Max sighed, smiling and tilting her head just enough to steal a gentle kiss, "Having your hugs and kisses to come back to sets my mind at ease."


	127. Real

After last year's Halloween, Max had wanted to arrange for something more exciting to entertain Chloe. As it turned out, though, she hadn't exactly gotten a flood of invitations to big fun parties. She wasn't sure whether to blame her general introversion, spending her last year of high school at Blackwell, or her decision to take a gap year for being out of the social loop, but it didn't really make a difference at this point. She and Chloe were on their own, as far as Halloween went.

The whole age thing didn't help, either. A lot of the events going on required that attendees be twenty one or older, or else were geared towards literal kids. Clubs and bars were out, and free trick or treating at the Seattle Children's Museum would be ridiculous. Okay, it might be fun for a bit, but _then_ it would get ridiculous. There were probably _some_ of events geared specifically towards the sorts of "kind of adults but not really" that she and Chloe were, but Max didn't really know where to look for those.

Ultimately they decided to go on an "Underground Paranormal Experience" tour, not unlike the ghost tour they'd gone on in Portland a few months before. Luckily it was a Friday, so they were able to get tickets for an eight o'clock tour instead of a ten o'clock. Enough people were out late on Halloween that it was probably one of the safer nights to be walking around close to midnight, Max figured, but she was still glad she and Chloe wouldn't have to be out that late. Just to be safe they'd come and bought their tickets hours in advance, and so they could wander around Pioneer Square and get dinner before the tour.

It was a pretty good neighborhood to be in on Halloween, Max thought. The bricks of the old buildings ranged from a tan to a burnt red, so there was plenty of orange going on. That along with the black of the iron pergola gave the place a Halloween-y color palette, which was only enhanced by the evening light and the changing leaves. Beyond the colors, the turn of the century character of the architecture held a pleasantly spooky vibe, if you were looking for one. It wasn't exactly Salem or Sleepy Hollow- All the good spooky stuff happened on the East Coast, Max supposed- but it was good enough for her. Besides, witches and headless horsemen made for good scary local legends, but this whole neighborhood _was_ built on the rubble left by a big fire. There had to be _some_ restless spirits, right?

Or there would have had to be restless spirits, _if_ Max had believed in anything like that. Ghosts had never really been a thing Max had put much stock in, up until a year ago. Then suddenly she had time travel powers and was following spectral deer through the woods, and that had made her reevaluate what fell within the realm of possibility. Even now, though, Max dismissed most "paranormal phenomena," either as hoaxes, mistakes, or harmless fun, as the case may be. She knew too much about photo manipulation and editing to trust any alleged "photographic evidence," for one thing. Save for the spectral deer, Max wasn't ready to seriously entertain any ghost sightings she'd heard of, and she wasn't even completely sold on the deer. Nosebleeds, pounding headaches, and a lot of stress could make you see anything.

Either way, Max was fairly certain that none of the "ghosts" she and Chloe would detect on their Underground Paranormal Experience tour would be real. She'd never been on this particular variety of Underground Tour, but she figured it would be a lot like the ghost tour they went on in Portland: fun, kind of campy, and all done with a wink and a nod from the guide. Honestly, that was sort of just Halloween in miniature, if she thought about it.

"This is such a cool little spot," Chloe remarked as she leaned over to rest against Max. They were sitting on a bench in Waterfall Garden Park, killing some time until the sun fully set. As far as parks went, it wasn't actually a huge favorite of Max's- too touristy, too small, and too easily crowded- but it was still a fun place to visit as long as they were in the area. Quiet moments together were nice, and they'd had plenty of them, but Max liked savoring as many as she could for as long as she could.

"It would be cooler if it was naturally occurring," Max replied, resting her head against Chloe's and watching the light play off the waterfalls, "But yeah, it looks nice."

"I dyed my hair blue and got a neat-ass tattoo," Chloe pointed out, a smirk in her voice, "I don't really give much of a crap about 'naturally occurring.' If it looks cool it looks cool." Max snorted quietly and smiled.

"That's a fair point," she conceded, shrugging lightly enough that she wouldn't jostle Chloe too much, "God knows I've taken more than a few pictures in here. Definitely simpler to use as a backdrop than driving out to Mt. Rainier National Park."

"See? It's cool," Chloe stated, putting her arm around Max and stroking her shoulder, "Honestly, I almost think it's cooler that it's _not_ natural. Like, rivers and waterfalls getting carved out over the course of eons or whatever is really cool, too, but somebody decided 'Hey, there should be waterfalls here. Let's just build some!' and then here they were!" She gestured towards the central water feature.

"Why _did_ someone decide to build artificial waterfalls downtown, anyway?" she asked after a moment.

"As a memorial to postal workers, I think," Max mumbled, "There's a plaque around here someplace explaining it, but I've never met anybody who really associated it with the mail. Like, I don't see the connection. In the end, it's just a fun destination in a part of town full of fun destinations."

"I mean, fun is a pretty good reason to do stuff," Chloe noted, "I'm pretty okay with governments prioritizing fun over war or something."

"I don't think the city of Seattle has ever been at war with anybody," Max replied, "Can cities even be at war? On their own, I mean."

"You're overestimating my knowledge of politics and warfare and other real world shit," Chloe stated, chuckling a little and sitting up before scooting closer to Max, "Rome fought and conquered a bunch of places and it's a city, but that was also, like, two thousand years ago. Maybe Seattle fought with Native Americans at some point? I don't think a city can up and declare war anymore, though."

"That's a relief," Max sighed, settling in against Chloe a bit, "I'd hate for our 'fun stuff' budget to get redirected to the military-industrial complex."

"Fun diversions are preferable to war, no doubt," Chloe reasserted, giving Max a gentle squeeze.

They killed a bit more time in the little grotto before leaving to find some dinner. Max had originally been imagining going someplace sort of upscale, but the tour tickets hadn't been cheap, so they just got some shawarma instead. It was still plenty good, though, and eating someplace quick gave her and Chloe the freedom to take their time on their way back up to the starting point for the tour.

The people at the ticket counter had told Max and Chloe to show up fifteen minutes early for the tour for "paranormal equipment training," which was mostly just explanations of how to use the prop ghost-hunting tools they were issued. After that it was an hour and a half of tramping through the old downtown tunnels, scanning for spectral activity and visiting hotspots of alleged ghost sightings. Max had fun with it, shrugging and just leaning into the goofy campiness of the whole experience, and Chloe seemed to have a good time, too.

The crowd for the ten o'clock Halloween tour were starting to gather up at street level when Max and Chloe left, but once they were past the little cluster of people they were free and clear in the cool air of an autumn night. Granted, there were plenty of Halloween revelers out and about, but Max was content to just hold Chloe's hand and walk over to the LINK station. From there it was a quick train ride and a bus transfer, and then they were a couple blocks from home.

"I hope tonight was more exciting for you than last Halloween," Max remarked as they walked, arm swinging lazily. Chloe sighed.

"Max, I told you before, last year was great," she insisted, giving Max's hand a squeeze, "Just you and me, doing a _little_ bit of breaking and entering and taking some good pictures. Nothing wrong with that." She brought the back of Max's hand up to her lips for a soft kiss.

"Okay, okay," Max conceded, finding herself smiling at the reassurance. Sometimes she thought Chloe fished for compliments, but she had to admit it was a habit of her own, too. "But did you have a good time tonight?"

"Oh, definitely," Chloe replied, her tone perking up, "Ghost hunting is a pretty great way to spend Halloween."

"I always get kind of sad when Halloween ends," Max said, watching a couple straggling groups of trick-or-treaters make their way home.

"Why's that?" Chloe asked, "Not like anything's stopping you from keeping the spirit alive year-round. Get a little spooky-girl edge on or something." She smirked over at Max, who couldn't help smiling a little herself.

"I don't mind Halloween being seasonal, really," Max explained, "Not enough that I'd want to make it my year-round look. But, I mean, it sort of ends the fun part of the fall. After that all the ghosts and goblins evaporate, and it's just cold and dark. Makes me kind of melancholy."

"Yeah," Chloe mumbled, "Back to real life." They walked quietly for a moment or two.

"We should probably start making _actual_ plans now, huh?" she went on, breaking the silence.

"Probably," Max agreed, sighing. She'd already been leaning towards applying to college, but knowing Chloe was onboard with starting to actually start building their future together was enough to lock her in on that. By and large, that was good. Still, it _did_ mean having to acknowledge the end of their indefinite "chill out" period. Nothing could last forever, Max supposed.

"We can start being all grown up and responsible and shit in the morning," Chloe declared, "But we've still got, like, two hours of Halloween left."

"True," Max said, smiling again and leaning to nudge Chloe's shoulder with her head, "Two hours before real life catches up with us."

"If I get to spend 'real life' with you, then it can catch up whenever it wants," Chloe laughed, turning to press a kiss to the top of Max's head, "You make reality better than fantasy." Max's heart fluttered, and she let go of Chloe's hand so she could wrap an arm around her waist instead, snuggling in close.

"Would you still be up for eating a bunch of leftover candy and watching scary movies, though?" she asked, feeling herself glow at Chloe's words, "Y'know, before real life sets in?"

"Hell yeah," Chloe replied, draping her arm around Max's shoulders and giving her a gentle squeeze, "But fair warning: I'm gonna make sure there's plenty of that in real life, too." Max snickered and nuzzled in against Chloe's shoulder some more.

"I'd expect nothing less."


	128. Get Pumped

"Okay, that's another application lined up," Max declared, closing out of the window and pushing herself back from her desk, "I'll submit it tonight with Mom and Dad. Then I've got one more, then I'm _done._ "

"Get pumped!" Chloe exclaimed in reply, raising her arms in what she hoped would look like an excited pose. For lack of much else she could do to help, Chloe had taken to cheering Max on whenever possible. It wasn't much, granted, but it was about all she had to offer. Like, Chloe was more than happy to read over Max's essays and crap, but even when she'd been on top of her school game she leaned more towards science and math than language arts, and she sure as hell didn't have any insight on what would appeal to admissions counselors. "I can travel through time" would probably make for one hell of a diversity statement, granted, but Max couldn't write that for obvious reasons.

"I'll get pumped when I get accepted," Max sighed, standing from her chair to shuffle the few feet over to the bed and flopping down next to Chloe, "Or when I get accepted _and_ offered a bunch of financial aid."

"Won't your parents be helping you out?" Chloe asked, closing her own laptop and setting it aside in favor of putting an arm around Max. Ryan and Vanessa didn't exactly bring Chloe in on their budgeting and financial decisions, but she definitely got the sense that they were pretty well-off at this point.

"College is pretty expensive," Max pointed out, scooting up a bit so she could settle in against Chloe's shoulder, "I _think_ Mom and Dad could _technically_ afford to pay out of pocket, _if_ they cut expenses at home, but I'd really rather they didn't have to, y'know?" Chloe nodded. She was no stranger to the discomfort of feeling like a drain on your parents.

"Well, I'll be pumped for you, then," she declared, pressing a kiss to Max's forehead and then flailing her free arm around for a few seconds before settling back down.

"Thanks," Max sighed, pressing in close, "I can always count on you to cheer me on." She tilted her face up to Chloe to flash a weary smile before nuzzling into the crook of her neck. For her part, Chloe was glad that she at least had that going for her. After Halloween Max had really gone to work on college apps, but Chloe was finding she was making a lot less progress on her job search.

It was possible that Chloe had just overestimated how easy it would be to up and find a job. Cities had always existed in her mind as semi-magical lands of opportunity where exciting work was waiting around every corner, but it turned out that wasn't entirely accurate. Sure, there were a lot of businesses and companies looking for all kinds of employees, but they were asking for actual credentials in a lot of cases.

In Arcadia Bay she'd typically been able to pick up some under-the-table money now and then, and had been on a poorly timed dry spell when her debts to Frank came due. The mechanics knew Chloe could find her way around an engine and they were willing to toss her some cash when they were shorthanded. Arcadia Bay didn't get enough people moving in, out, or within the city to justify a dedicated company of movers, so she'd occasionally gotten a gig loading and unloading furniture from trucks. None of it had been super glamorous work, but honestly she hadn't minded it much. It gave her something to do besides get stoned and sulk, and getting a stack of cash at the end of the day was pretty great.

The unfortunate thing about under-the-table work, though, was that there were no records of it. It wasn't like Chloe could print up a resume listing her experience as an occasional mechanic and mover, and after the storm she wasn't even sure she still had the right contact info for references. There were people with real training, real employment histories, and real references who would beat her out every day of the week for the jobs she could find on Monster or whatever. She figured that there were still plenty of places that wouldn't mind hiring her, but she had no idea where to find them, and Max sure didn't, either.

"It's good snuggle weather today," Max remarked softly, shaking Chloe out of her reflection. Blinking a few times, the blue haired girl smiled.

"All weather is snuggle weather if you want it bad enough," she pointed out, giving Max a gentle squeeze, "It just depends on how well you can ignore being hot and sweaty." Max snorted.

"Well, today isn't a day we have to worry about that," the brunette contended, a smile in her voice, "Because it's rainy and kinda cold. That's perfect weather for just snuggling up for an afternoon nap."

"Okay, I'm gonna double-down on my all weather is snuggle weather position if we're bringing in naps," Chloe stated, "I am all about naps. No bad time for a nap."

"Will you at least admit that snuggling feels that little bit cozier when it's cold and rainy outside?" Max asked, raising a hand to lazily gesture at the window where droplets of rain ran down the glass.

"Snuggling does get that much better when it's cold and rainy out, true," Chloe agreed, smirking, "For the full cozy effect, I figure we'd need to get under a blanket or two, though."

"If you insist," Max grumbled, unable to keep the act up enough to hide her amusement. With a little bit of shifting around, they both slid under the top layer of covers on the bed, quickly wrapping their arms around one another once they were settled.

"You were right, this feels even cozier," Max conceded, pulling the blanket up to her chin, "You're really warm."

"I was about to say the same thing about you," Chloe remarked, a smile spreading on her face as she reached a hand over to stroke Max's hair and neck, "Granted, it's not, like, a new discovery or anything. You've been keeping me warm for over a year now."

"And I plan to keep you warm for years to come," Max replied, cooing at Chloe's touch, "Even though it doesn't really get super cold around here."

"Cold enough that I appreciate a warm little Max nestled in my arms," Chloe pointed out. She leaned down and pressed a kiss to Max's scalp.

"Well, I appreciate a warm Chloe to cling to," the brunette noted, "You sort of radiate heat. I guess that's kind of just a part of being, you know, a mammal. But I feel like you're extra warm." Chloe could have said the same thing about Max. She couldn't say for sure whether they both just gave off more body heat than average or if it was more just that they felt cozier to one another because of emotional bonds, but she didn't really care one way or another. Having a firm grasp on exactly how much heat her body generated might be important if she was living in a tundra or something, but Chloe was pretty content to just enjoy cuddling with Max and not question it.

At some point, Chloe must have fallen asleep. She didn't dream at all, or at least she didn't remember it if she did. Really, Chloe wasn't entirely sure she'd even fallen all the way asleep and that she hadn't just hovered around in that half-conscious dozing off place. All she knew was that at one point she closed her eyes, and when she opened them a while later it was dark outside. It didn't sound like Max's parents had gotten home yet, but it had gotten to that point in November when the sun set at, like, four thirty, so it probably wasn't really that late in the evening. Late enough that they'd slept a couple hours, though.

Chloe briefly thought about waking Max but decided to just let the brunette sleep. If nothing else, they'd get out of bed for dinner, but there was no reason not to let Max just keep on enjoying her nap for the time being. Chloe sure didn't have anything else to be doing, and honestly she liked just lying there with Max resting against her, breathing slow and steady. She could just let her mind wander.

In time, Max stirred and stretched. Moving as quickly as she could without jostling the smaller girl, Chloe tried to greet her back into consciousness with a kiss on the forehead, earning a sleepy, happy hum for her trouble. Blinking the sleep out of her eyes, Max looked up and smiled at Chloe.

"Sleep good?" Chloe asked, brushing stray hairs from Max's face.

"I tend to sleep pretty well when I'm with you," the smaller girl explained, pressing into the touch until Chloe's hand was cupping her cheek, "Sorry if I sort of trapped you here, though." Chloe snorted.

"Yeah, twist my arm," she teased, rubbing Max's cheekbone with her thumb, "It was like _127 Hours_ , except I was in a comfy bed instead of a canyon, and you're a cute girl, not a boulder. And also I was super into it."

"But other than that, exactly the same," Max joked, "Glad you had a nice nap, too. I know you'd talked about getting all pumped about my college apps, and sleeping is sort of the opposite of getting pumped."

"Unless you're a fainting goat or whatever," Chloe noted, "Or I guess you could pass out from excitement. That's a thing, right?"

"I wouldn't know, I've never swooned," Max replied, bringing the back of her hand to her forehead as if she was fainting in a Victorian novel, "I mean, I've blacked out from excessive time travel, but I don't think that counts."

"Yeah, I think we can draw a distinction there," Chloe agreed, nodding, "That kind of excitement is pretty far from what I think of when I talk about getting pumped."

"Well that's good," Max sighed, stretching and propping herself up on an elbow, "If that was what getting pumped was, I wouldn't want you to do it. Those blackouts weren't great experiences." She frowned for a moment at the mention of their October ordeal before shrugging a little and smiling down at Chloe.

"Hopefully there are plenty of _actually_ great experiences coming up," Chloe suggested, trying to bring things back around to a positive subject, "More art shows and then college and cool shit like that. _That's_ worth getting pumped for."

"Only if I get to share it all with you," Max countered, leaning in to rest her forehead against Chloe's.

"You will. I promise," the blue haired girl insisted, speaking softly as she ran her hand up Max's back, stopping to play with the cord of her necklace at the base of her neck.

"Okay then," Max whispered, resting back down against Chloe again, "Then that's a future I'm willing to get pumped for."


	129. Home for the Holidays

Max had always assumed she and Chloe would return to Arcadia Bay someday. It was where Joyce lived, it was where William was buried, it was where Chloe had lived most of her life, and it was where Max had spent a whole bunch of her childhood. It was inevitable that they'd come back now and then. Max just hadn't expected it to be so soon.

Joyce had invited Chloe home for Thanksgiving. Or, the way Chloe told it, she'd "pressured" Chloe to come home and "laid on a guilt trip." Max hadn't listened in on the conversation, but she could only assume she'd gotten a skewed account. Then again, Joyce could really unload some serious mom-guilt when she needed to, so maybe Chloe really _had_ agreed to visit home under duress.

Either way, Chloe had asked Max to come with her, and Max wasn't about to leave Chloe hanging. Chloe had spent Thanksgiving last year with her in Seattle, after all, so it seemed fair to do this year in Arcadia Bay. Besides, Max liked Joyce, and it felt like a good idea to see her regularly. She _was_ Max's future mother-in-law, after all, even if that wasn't a thing she knew yet, so keeping in her good graces just seemed like a good idea.

"Last chance to back out," Chloe stated as Max climbed up into the cab of the truck, "I want you with me, but I get it if you'd rather stay here in spiffy Seattle for the holiday."

"Nope, you're stuck with me," Max replied, pulling her door shut and clicking in her seatbelt, "C'mon, let's go. It's a long drive to Arcadia Bay!" Chloe looked over at her and flashed a smile before starting up the engine and pulling out of the driveway.

"Thanks for agreeing to come along," Chloe mumbled once they were on the road, "I really do appreciate having you sticking with me through all this."

"I'll stick with you through anything and everything," Max assured, reaching over to give Chloe's shoulder a squeeze, "But don't be so gloomy about it! It's Thanksgiving with your mom and David, not a terminal illness."

"The last couple Thanksgivings at my house have ended in screaming matches," the blue haired girl noted, "Most occasions have, actually. A _lot_ of tension going on in that house." That added up. Things had mostly been civil when Max had been around starting in January, but she remembered the dynamic she'd seen in October. Frankly, she'd be surprised if it had _just_ been screaming matches.

"I'll keep my timewarp hand at the ready," Max declared, doing a jazz hand for effect, "If anything starts to go wrong, I'll rewind and defuse it."

"Thanks, Max," Chloe sighed, glancing over to smile at Max for a second before turning back to the road, "I hope you won't have to. You _shouldn't_ have to. Trying to wrangle other people's family drama sucks, I know. I'm just sorry to be putting you in a position where you might need to."

"You're not 'other people,'" Max insisted, "Darling, you're my Chloe. Besides, Joyce basically helped raise me. I was AWOL for a while there, but I'm not a stranger in your home or anything."

" _I_ was a stranger in that home for years," Chloe grumbled, "I literally found a book my mom had been reading called _A Stranger Under My Roof_ , all about how to rein in your out of control teen!" That couldn't have been pleasant for her, Max thought. Chloe and Joyce had been all the other had after William died, and then Joyce had paired up with David. Even assuming Joyce was really just trying to figure out how to get through to her daughter, Max could definitely see how coming across a book like that would translate to Chloe as proof that her mother saw her as more of a problem to be solved than a grieving human being.

"Well, now we get to both be guests," Max noted, trying to lighten the mood a little, "Because, y'know, you live with me now." That earned a cheerful little hum from Chloe.

"I sure do," the taller girl agreed, "It'll be fun to see what wins out: Mom's need to meddle disapprovingly in my life or her need to be a gracious hostess. Like, there's no polite way to tell a couple staying with you they need to split up for the night."

"Spending the night snuggling you would be ideal, yeah," Max said, nodding, "We'll be all warm and cozy against the November chill."

"That might be the point that wins us the argument," Chloe laughed, "I'm kind of a string bean, and you're pretty waifish. We _have_ to huddle up together all night. Y'know, for warmth. That's not a preference thing, that's a safety thing."

"I'm convinced," Max declared, relieved Chloe was in a joking mood now, "With this kind of ironclad reasoning, everything's definitely gonna go smoothly."

"Honestly, if Mom tries to pull any separate beds bullshit I say we just bail and get a motel," the taller girl remarked with a smirk, "There's no way I'm enjoying post-Thanksgiving sleep _without_ copious snuggles, and expecting us to is just inhumane." Max didn't relish the idea of Chloe storming out of the house with her in tow, but she hoped it wouldn't come to that. With luck, Joyce wouldn't press the issue and would just be glad to see her daughter for a couple days. If not, well, Max and Chloe had gotten pretty good at sneaking around.

The drive down to Arcadia Bay was uneventful, much to Max's relief. Traffic wasn't ideal getting out of Seattle, but once they were clear of the city it was reasonably smooth sailing down to Portland, which had some city traffic of its own going on. After that they stopped in Salem to refill the gas tank and get some lunch, and from there it was a pretty clear shot to where the route branched off onto 38, then it was just the 101 on down to Arcadia Bay.

It was the fourth time in Max's life that she'd traveled the route between Seattle and Arcadia Bay all in one day, and at this point she was starting to recognize the landmarks. If she was being honest, she was impressed with her and Chloe's ability to stretch the trip out to be a week or longer when they'd wanted. Smiling at the memories, she made a mental note to try and plan out more roadtrips with Chloe once the spring rolled around.

"Wow, this place looks almost not shitty," Chloe remarked as Google Maps took them through downtown Arcadia Bay, "Guess that's one of the pluses of that good, good rich asshole money flooding the town." Biting tone aside, Chloe was right. The modest commercial district wasn't exactly _bustling_ , but businesses seemed to be flourishing. On their way into town they'd passed up a couple construction sites with big signs facing the road advertising upcoming housing developments, and even a lot of the preexisting houses looked like they'd been fixed up recently.

Even Chloe's house looked spruced up. Or, maybe it wasn't Chloe's house _anymore_ , but "Chloe's house" was how Max had always thought of it, and probably always would. Someone- either David, Joyce, or professionals- had finished paining the house, and the yard looked well cared for. The house had been cleaned up some inside, too, which was nice to see. Maybe it was just that not having Chloe living there anymore had freed up some resources, but Max hoped that some of the money flowing into the town had found its way to Joyce.

"Well, at least my room's basically how I left it," Chloe remarked when they stepped in, "Looks like Mom changed over the sheets at some point, but, I mean, other than that." She set her bag down by the dresser and flopped onto the bed.

Like the rest of the house, Chloe's bedroom looked a little cleaner than the last time Max had seen it, although the stack of boxes in one corner of the room tipped her off as to where a lot of Chloe's stuff had gone. She suppressed a shiver and tried to keep her breathing even when she was reminded of the way this room had looked in the other timeline, where Chloe had been paralyzed. This version of the room wasn't nearly so sparse, though, and Max tried to just focus on the very much alive and uninjured Chloe lazily sprawled out on the bed.

"I'm kinda surprised your mom and David aren't home," Max said, dropping her own duffel beside Chloe's and sitting on the edge of the bed.

"Well, Mom's almost definitely at work," Chloe explained, "Day before Thanksgiving actually gets hella traffic at the Two Whales. I think people want to go out to eat because they're gonna spend all day cooking at home tomorrow and stuff." Max shrugged and lay back, coming to rest next to Chloe, hands folded on her stomach.

"Not sure about David," the blue haired girl went on, "I think Blackwell's closed for the holiday by now, but maybe he's still there finishing up reports or rounds or whatever security people do? Or maybe he's just out doing errands or running or something. He's not here, that's all I know."

"It's nice to have the place to ourselves for a bit," Max remarked, shrugging and lazily turning her head to face Chloe, "I mean, I guess we've been alone together basically all day so far, but I like that we have some time to decompress from the driving and stuff before having to be 'on' as houseguests."

"Yeah, definitely," Chloe agreed, turning to face Max as well, "When I was living here I could get away with being all holed up in my room, but I figure Mom'll want to talk to us and ask all about what we've been doing. Ugh, that sounds so shitty to complain about. 'Oh no, my mother is interested in my life and is excited to see me after I've been gone for five months!'"

"It's not the most kind-hearted thing you've ever said, no," Max conceded, scooting a little closer to Chloe, "But I totally understand wanting to fly under the radar. Unwinding is important." Especially when your mother-daughter relationship has been strained for a few years, she thought to herself.

"I guess it's a moot point right now," Chloe sighed, returning her gaze to the ceiling, "Mom's not home, so no worries. We got time to relax, like you said."

"Any thoughts on how you want to kill time?" Max asked, hoping to divert the conversation away from filial guilt.

"Most shit closes early on the day before Thanksgiving around here, twenty four hour diners notwithstanding," Chloe explained, "So our options are just sort of wander around a park or sit around here watching TV." Considering it was forty five degrees and raining out, the choice was pretty obvious. They both stretched and got to their feet, unpacking a few things before heading downstairs to chill out on the couch. There were no pillows and blankets set nearby, Max noticed, which she took as a good sign. In all honesty, Joyce had gotten pretty lax by the time Max and Chloe had set out in June. Maybe at this point she didn't care about forcing appearances. It sure would make this trip smoother if that was the case, Max admitted to herself.

Unsurprisingly, there wasn't a whole lot on TV on a Wednesday afternoon, so they opted for a movie instead. Chloe suggested _Blade Runner_ but Max hastily vetoed it, still not ready to watch that particular movie with Chloe. She hoped it wasn't ruined for her _forever_ \- It had been one of her favorites- but for the time being it was too mixed up with her memories of euthanizing Chloe. They wound up watching _The Fifth Element_ instead, on the grounds that it was a lot lighter in tone but still had flying cars.

About two thirds of the way through the movie Joyce got home, so Max and Chloe paused to greet her. For all that Chloe had whined on the trip down, Max noticed that she hopped to her feet without much hesitation to traipse on over to the door. Max followed along not too far behind, but kept back enough that she didn't feel like she was intruding on the moment. That turned out to be unnecessary, though, as Joyce waved her over after a couple seconds.

"Oh, Max, it is so nice to see you, too!" Joyce declared, turning from Chloe to pull Max in for a hug, "Chloe had told me you might be joining us, but I hadn't been sure. It'll be a delight to spend the holiday with you!"

"Why would I even lie about that?" Chloe demanded, scowling at her mother a little. Max took a breath and readied her rewind, just in case.

"It's not that I thought you lied, I just thought you might have spoken off the cuff before actually finalizing plans," Joyce explained, sighing, "I'm sure Max's parents will miss her for Thanksgiving, and I didn't know if maybe they would have preferred she stay with them."

"They, uh, had Chloe and me last year," Max noted, "So it's your turn, I guess."

"Well, I certainly appreciate them being willing to share you with us," Joyce replied, putting her smile back on for Max, "No need to worry, we've got plenty of food for four." She lifted a pair of grocery bags from the floor and headed into the kitchen, leaving a few more bags by the door.

"Max is an adult, Mom, she can go wherever she wants for whatever holiday she wants," Chloe grumbled, nevertheless picking up a couple bags and following her mother.

"Did you really go grocery shopping just now?" Max asked, hoping to defuse the situation by changing the subject, "I figure the store must be crazy the night before Thanksgiving!" She brought the last few bags into the kitchen and set the down with the others, giving Chloe a meaningful look before turning back to Joyce.

"Oh, no, I did that this morning," Joyce stated, grinning, "One of the perks of managing a diner is you've got industrial refrigerators and freezers you can use." She seemed to have taken the bait, to Max's relief.

"Managing?" Max repeated, "Had you just always been running that place and I didn't know about it?"

"It's a recent development," Joyce reported, shaking her head and smiling, "Things 'round here have been shaking up a little. The man who managed the place before sort of jumped in on this downtown revival they've been pushing and went into business for himself. It was a long time coming, and we're all happy for him, but the owners still needed someone to run things, so they tapped me!" Max was glad to hear that. Joyce hadn't said so, but Max could only assume that the new position came with a pay raise, which she figured accounted for some of the improvements she saw around the house. Even beyond the money, though, it was nice to see Joyce recognized for her work and promoted accordingly.

"But enough about me," Joyce went on, waving a hand and starting to unpack groceries, "Did you two make it down alright?"

"Yeah, the whole thing went pretty smooth," Chloe stated, the sullenness not yet gone from her voice, "We got here like two hours ago, brought our stuff up to our room, and then just chilled on the couch until you got home just now." The word "our" seemed to hang in the air for a second, and Max saw that Chloe was studying her mother for her reaction.

"Good, good," Joyce replied, breaking Max out of her anxious anticipation, "I hope everything is alright for y'all up there. I changed over the covers for the winter, but other than that everything's just the way you left it." Max could feel her shoulders slump in relief. Whether or not Joyce had been on board from the beginning, she hadn't challenged the assumption that Chloe and Max would be together during this visit. There were still a couple days for Chloe and her mother to push each other over the edge, but the first hazard was cleared.

"It seemed fine," Chloe said, apparently satisfied with her mother's answer.

From there the evening was pretty uneventful. David got home not long after Joyce had, but luckily there wasn't big clash between him and Chloe. Instead they just greeted each other tersely and went about their business, David retreating to the garage and Chloe staying on the couch with Max to finish their movie. Dinner was, predictably, delicious, and was spent catching Joyce up on what Max and Chloe had been up to since June. Max realized as they spoke that they had spent most of the last five months not doing all that much, but Chloe managed to make their Portland vacation and Max's art show take up most of the meal.

Max washed the dishes, insisting Chloe help, too, and after that the night pretty much wound down. Joyce and David sat down to do a crossword puzzle at the table, and Max and Chloe were left to sort of just do their own thing. Without really talking it through, they just shrugged and headed upstairs. There was nothing stopping them from sitting on the couch and watching TV in the living room, of course, but Max knew that Chloe didn't like hanging around David. When she'd visited on weekends during school the two had managed to more or less avoid conflict, but that clearly didn't mean Chloe wanted to spend any more time around her stepfather than she had to.

"Well, we don't have to sneak around, so there's that," Chloe noted as they entered her room, shutting the door behind her, "Guess things might not be a total disaster."

"I hope," Max agreed, walking over to sit on the edge of Chloe's bed and letting herself fall back onto the mattress, "Disasters are the sort of thing I try to avoid."

"And yet here you are, dating me," Chloe teased, lying down beside Max. Max sighed and rolled her eyes, flashing Chloe a smile all the same.

"You're not a disaster, you're my darling," she replied, reaching over to stroke Chloe's arm, "Having lived both with and without you in my life, I can confirm I'm not gonna start avoiding you now." Chloe smiled and pulled Max closer.

"Well, thanks for that," the blue haired girl mumbled, wrapping her arms around Max and holding her tight for a second before relaxing her grip, "But I do still feel kinda disaster-prone. Like, I noticed you trying to keep the peace down there."

"I mean, I didn't have to rewind at all, so it wasn't a huge effort," Max pointed out, nuzzling against Chloe's shoulder, "Who knows? It could turn out to be the best Thanksgiving ever!" Granted, she was putting on a bit more optimism than she actually felt. Things hadn't gotten especially tense that evening, but Max could easily see how things could devolve over the course of the next day or two. Still, she was prepared to rewind and mediate as much as she needed to keep things running more or less smoothly. It wasn't her ideal Thanksgiving, but she wanted to make sure Chloe didn't have to endure any more holiday screaming matches.

"It'd be hard to top last year," Chloe murmured, kissing Max's forehead softly and running a hand through her hair. Max smiled at the memory of Chloe's absolute delight at "going official."

"Fair point," she replied, looking up at Chloe and grinning, "Doesn't mean we shouldn't try." She gave Chloe a wink, earning a chuckle.

"I'm up for that challenge," the taller girl laughed, "Any thoughts on how we should start?" Max made a show of thinking.

"Well, we could get ready for bed, change into our pajamas, and then settle in for-" She pulled out her phone to check the time. "-Twelve to sixteen hours of uninterrupted cuddles. How about that?" Chloe snorted but broke into a wide smile.

"I mean, I'm willing to give that a shot, if nothing else," Chloe declared.


	130. Thanksgiving Day

"I feel like we should have helped," Max remarked as she walked beside Chloe.

"I mean, we offered," Chloe replied, shrugging, "And Mom said not to worry about it. Besides, I _am_ making the rolls. They're all prepped and ready to go in the oven, just gotta wait for the turkey to be done."

"'Oh, don't worry, I've got it,' seems like just a thing you're _supposed_ to say," Max insisted, "And then _we're_ supposed to insist on helping."

"If Mom can't take help when it's freely offered, that's her problem," Chloe contended, "It's not like we're in Versailles or something, with crazy etiquette rules dictating our every move and what we can and can't say. I'm gonna take her at her word."

"Besides, she can put David to work if she really needs the help," she added.

A little before noon, Mom had started to get into cooking mode. In the spirit of her and Max's goal to avoid clashes and family drama, Chloe had suggested they duck out and go for a walk. She'd learned long ago to stay out of Mom's way when she had a project going in the kitchen. Best case scenario you got shooed out. Worst case, you got put to work. Mom's hostess sensibilities- or maybe her possessiveness of Thanksgiving cooking- had made her refuse Max's first offer of help, but Chloe hadn't wanted to wait around to see if that would hold.

"I guess you're right," Max sighed, shaking her head and then breaking into a smile, "At least this means we can just enjoy a few hours together before we have to be good guests again." She reached down and took Chloe's hand.

Since the goal had mainly been to get out of the house, Chloe hadn't had any particular destination in mind for their walk. The two of them just sort of wandered the neighborhood, chatting and killing time. It wasn't raining today, at least, which was convenient. Inclement weather would have made it way harder to meander around, and that would have meant she'd have had to come up with an actual destination or something.

The same way they always seemed to when left to their own devices, Chloe and Max wound up at Lighthouse Overlook Park. On their way over they'd passed a few other people and couples out walking, but the park itself was pretty quiet. There was a new multipurpose building at street level near the parking lot, but otherwise the place felt pretty much the same as Chloe had left it. The trail was cleaner, and a lot of the graffiti had been covered by a new coat of paint on the base of the lighthouse, but otherwise it was how she remembered.

"Do you think we could take this bench?" Chloe wondered aloud as she and Max sat down to rest and enjoy the view.

"I mean… No," Max replied, leaning over to nudge against Chloe's shoulder until she lifted an arm to nestle under, "It belongs to the parks department. And also I think it's bolted to the ground?"

"They're doing improvements all over town," Chloe pointed out, gesturing at the downtown area below before settling her arm around Max, "This bench is bound to get replaced sooner or later! Why don't we just, y'know, take it with us when we leave? If we don't it's just gonna get thrown in a landfill or something."

"What would we even do with a park bench?" the brunette asked.

"Put it in our foyer one day?" Chloe suggested, shrugging, "Or on the porch or the patio?" Max chuckled.

"We don't have a foyer or a porch _or_ a patio," she noted, "Mom and Dad's house has that, but we're just staying there until we move someplace else, and that someplace else almost definitely is gonna be a small, kinda cruddy apartment for at least a few years."

"All the better!" Chloe stated, "This can be our first piece of cut-rate, reclaimed furniture! Wouldn't it totally fit our artsy, alternative vibe to have a park bench sitting in our living room?"

"A _stolen_ park bench," Max corrected, giggling anyway, "But I guess you'll say that just makes it more punk rock."

"Hey, no fair rewinding to anticipate my banter!" Chloe grumbled, making a show of pouting for a second.

"No rewinding," Max replied, "I just know you that well." Chloe smiled and gave Max a gentle squeeze. They cuddled and talked plenty in Seattle, but there was just something special about this spot. As Max had pointed out at the start of the year, it was _their_ spot, after all.

"Like you didn't rewind when I tried to take the comfy chair from Wells's office?" Chloe teased.

"I didn't!" Max insisted, sitting up some to smirk at Chloe, "I told you, that was the power of best-friendship."

"Nah, it's the power of being super in love with me," Chloe shot back, leaning her face in for an Eskimo kiss, "Because I know you totally were even then." Max blushed and brought her head back down to nuzzle against Chloe's shoulder, hiding her face.

"I don't think I had the bandwidth at the time to process that," she sighed, "I know that day was when you started to have romantic associations in my head. Like, I woke up with my head in your lap at one point, then we held hands on the train tracks, then that night with the pool and stuff. The next morning you 'dared' me to kiss you, and that locked in the butterflies."

"When I had to- When I had to choose, that was when it really started to dawn on me," Max went on, snuggling a little closer, "I spent the next couple days figuring out that I'm, like you said, super in love with you. Then a couple days after that we actually _said_ 'I love you.'"

"And it's been all cuddles and makeouts ever since," Chloe stated, hoping to bring the mood back up to playful. She didn't want to think too much about the whole "almost dying a bunch" thing right then. "And a lot of those cuddles and makeouts happened right here on this bench! Which is why we gotta take it with us!"

"I mean, I'm pretty sure a _lot_ of people have cuddled and made out on this bench," Max replied, "They might miss it." She had Chloe there.

"Okay," Chloe grumbled, "But I want it anyway." Max snickered.

"If you can figure out a way to take it before we leave for Seattle, I won't stop you," the brunette declared, "It's not like Arcadia Bay is gonna do a big, multistate chase just take back an old park bench." Chloe grinned and immediately started thinking of ways she could smuggle the park bench out of town.

The conversation wandered from there, staying more or less lighthearted. Being at her mom's house for Thanksgiving wasn't exactly solemn, intensive business, but it wasn't quite Chloe's idea of fun, either, so it was nice to just relax and joke around with Max for a while. As midday turned to afternoon, though, they agreed it was time to find their way back to the house. Coming up to the front walk, Chloe paused for a second.

"Ready to go back in there?" Max asked calmly, giving Chloe's hand a gentle little squeeze.

"Yeah, I'm good," Chloe reported, shrugging, "Gotta get in there and bake those rolls." They trudged inside and hung up their coats, stopping to wipe their feet on the mat by the door. The house smelled nice, at least. Whatever problems she had with her mother, Chloe had to concede she was an excellent chef. Stepping into the kitchen, Chloe saw that the turkey was out on the counter to cool, so she put on some oven mitts to slide her sheet of rolls into the oven.

"Oh good, you're home!" Mom remarked, coming into the kitchen from the dining room, "I was just about to call to ask when you'd be getting back."

"The answer is: about forty five seconds ago," Chloe replied, removing the mitts and setting them on the counter. Mom sighed but didn't press a fight or anything.

"Well, once you've finished with those rolls we can sit down to eat!" she declared, "Put the timer on and help me start setting up." Deciding not to put up any resistance, Chloe shrugged and turned the dial on the timer, then strolled out of the kitchen to start setting placemats. Immediately, Max joined her, laying out silverware. David, Chloe noticed, was conspicuously absent from the whole process, and she took a moment to think the worse of him.

Once everything was prepped and ready, Mom sent Chloe and Max upstairs to change into something more formal. It was just gonna be the four of them, so Chloe didn't really see the point, honestly, but whatever. Max didn't complain, and so Chloe decided to just let it go. She might have enjoyed goading her mother as a habit, but digging in her heels for an actual fight didn't seem worth it. With a set endpoint to her time at the house in Arcadia Bay, Chloe found it was easier to just shrug and power through irritation.

They got back downstairs a minute or two before the bell rang for Chloe's rolls, and after that it was about time to sit and start. Joyce called David downstairs, and all four of them fixed their plates. The table was too small to actually pile it with all the food while they were sitting at it, so they had to serve themselves at the kitchen counter abutting the living room, but that was pretty much what Chloe was used to. Really, the only time she could remember having that sort of Norman Rockwell setup had been last year at Max's house, which had been cool, but hadn't exactly ruined her for all simpler Thanksgivings. The food was good regardless.

Somehow they managed to get through dinner without a fight. Chloe couldn't be sure if it was because Max was rewinding and defusing every explosion, or maybe just because she kept checking Max's face for paleness and nosebleeds instead of reacting to much of what Mom and David said. _Or_ maybe it was just that their whole dynamic was getting less tense for whatever reason and the holiday hadn't been destined for conflict from the start. Whatever the reason, Chloe let herself feel some relief that things were going smoothly. Like, it wasn't as cheery and warm for her as she remembered Thanksgiving being as a kid, but it wasn't a nightmare, at least.

After dinner Chloe moved to help with dishes, but Max insisted that, since she'd cooked, she shouldn't have to wash. Chloe thought about protesting, but instead she just shrugged and headed over to the couch to sit with her mother. Max and David were perfectly capable of washing dishes, after all, and it wasn't like she really _wanted_ to scrub pans and bowls.

"I know I've said it before, but it is so nice having you and Max here for Thanksgiving, Chloe," Mom remarked as Chloe settled on the couch.

"Well, I mean, it's fun and new to make people glad I _am_ around," Chloe replied, shrugging, "So that's cool." Mom sighed.

"Oh, it can't be all that new for you," she insisted, "You and Max have been an item for a year now, and she's definitely glad to have you around." That part was truer than Mom realized. The last thirteen months had relaxed Max some, but Chloe could tell how relieved she still was that Chloe was alive and at her side. Mom couldn't have known about any of that, of course, but it still felt kind of nice that Chloe and Max's love was noticeable to people.

"Yeah, she's great," Chloe stated, "I'm pretty glad to have her around, too."

"I was so happy when you and her started spending time together again," Mom said, "Those last five years had been so hard on you, and the last few months especially, so I had hoped maybe connecting with her again would help you heal." Chloe raised an eyebrow. Where was she going with this?

"But I never dreamed that things would go this well," she went on, "Chloe, you're so happy with her. I can see it. Even though you sort of dragged your feet coming home for the holiday and all, I can still see how much happier you are now than before the two of you started dating." No denying that, Chloe had to admit. There'd been other factors, of course. Getting out of Arcadia Bay for a while had helped, for one thing. Loving Max- and maybe more importantly, being loved in return- was almost certainly the main cause of her improved mood, though.

"I love her," Chloe declared, deciding to be blunt, "I love her and I'm so excited to be sharing my life with her." Mom raised her eyebrows at that but smiled and sighed.

"Oh, to be young again," she mused, chuckling, "I do hope she's here for the long term, though. With you, I mean, not necessarily in this house. I know you two must have plans, and those plans probably don't involve settling down in this small town anytime soon. But I like seeing her again, and I like seeing you happy, so it would be nice for this to last." Chloe wasn't quite sure if there was an implicit "don't fuck this up" hidden in there someplace, but she was sort of placated by the knowledge that she and Max really _were_ set to stay together for the long haul. She couldn't tell Mom, maybe- unless she wanted to explain the whole time travel thing, anyway- but she didn't feel herself bristling at planted self-doubt like she otherwise might.

Max and David meandered out of the kitchen after a while, apparently having finished doing the dishes. For Chloe, that was the cue to head upstairs to leave Mom and David to their own devices. Mom probably would have liked for the four of them to all sit around the coffee table chatting into the evening, but Chloe wasn't really feeling up to that yet. Maybe if she and Max kept coming back here for holidays as the years went on, and David stayed chill, maybe _then_ they could just sort of visit with each other. In the meantime, Chloe figured she'd done her duty by providing a fairly drama-free Thanksgiving, and so she was ready to retreat to her bedroom with Max.

David had other plans, though, and hopped to his feet when Chloe started to lead Max toward the stairs. At first Chloe had her hackles up, afraid he was gonna try and assert "household dominance" or some shit and pick a fight about something, but he didn't _seem_ hostile. She didn't drop her guard, but Chloe decided to at least stop and see what he wanted, rather than rush up the stairs.

"I'm not sure what your schedule is looking like for tomorrow," he explained, "If you're leaving in the morning or the evening or staying with us for another day or what. But I wanted to do this when I knew I had the opportunity." He started back towards the living room and waved for Chloe to follow. She couldn't see where he was going with this, but she came along all the same.

"Every house needs a good toolbox," David stated, opening the door to the garage and stepping through, "And I don't know what kind of tools the Caulfields have, but I do know you and Max won't be staying with them forever, regardless." He walked out of view for a second before returning carrying a large metal box. "I figure this is yours, anyway, so I thought I ought to hand it over." He stepped back into the living room, and with the light Chloe could see what he was carrying. It was Dad's old toolbox.

"Thank you," Chloe managed to mumble, taking the box from him. Not sure what else to say, really, she gave David a nod and then hurried on up the stairs. She didn't check behind her, but she could hear the brunette padding up the stairs along with her.

"Well, that was halfway decent of him," Chloe remarked once they were safely in her room, walking over to set the toolbox on her desk, "I mean, he's right that this should be mine, anyway, but still." She opened the box and started sorting through its contents.

"Yeah, it was better than throwing it out while you were gone, definitely," Max agreed, leaning over Chloe's shoulder to get a look at the hardware. One by one, Chloe took each tool out and laid it on her desk for inspection. Pliers, screwdrivers, a couple hammers, all the things she remembered. Drawing the socket wrench set out, Chloe was struck by an idea.

"Hey, Max," she said, a grin spreading across her face as she held up the wrench she estimated most closely matched the bolts she had in mind, "I think I found a way to take that bench!"

"I _did_ say I wouldn't stop you," Max sighed, leaning in further to drape herself over Chloe's shoulders, "You start scheming. I'll cuddle you, and then come along as muscle and backup time travel." Chloe grinned to herself.

"Sounds good."


	131. Hold You To That

This was ridiculous. It was dark, it was cold, and they were doing a crime. Or, Chloe was doing a crime. Maybe Max's presence made her an accomplice? "Aiding and abetting" or whatever? All she was _technically_ doing right then was standing on the path and holding a photograph, and that wasn't against the law. The authorities would still probably put two and two together if they caught them, though.

Once she'd found her dad's old socket wrenches, Chloe had insisted they use them to take the bench from near the lighthouse. Normally Max would have put up more resistance, but she knew that Chloe had been making an effort to be "good" during this visit. In all honesty, Max would much rather Chloe scratch her rebellious itch by stealing a bench (which she had to admit would be kinda cool to have) than suppressing it until she boiled over and got in a big fight with Joyce or something. Max wasn't invested in the ongoing familial connections of the bench, after all. Besides, she _had_ joked that Chloe could take the bench if she found a way to, and she really should have predicted the blue haired girl would hold her to that.

"Okay, I've got the bolts up and out," Chloe reported, keeping her voice down as she came up behind Max, "I'm gonna go put the toolbox and the bolts in the truck, then we can go back for the bench."

"Why did you take the bolts?" Max asked, falling in behind Chloe as they walked down the path towards where they'd parked.

"Got my fingerprints on 'em," Chloe explained, "I figured it was probably best to just, y'know, take them with us." Max doubted that the Arcadia Bay Police Department was going to dust for prints at the site of a stolen old park bench, but she didn't want to ruin Chloe's fun. Rebellion lost a lot of the appeal the less authority cared, she could only assume.

"Do you think we'll be able to carry it?" Max wondered aloud as Chloe pulled down the back of the truck bed, "Or, like, lift it up in there? I'm a sensitive, delicate, artsy-type person." Chloe started back up the path and motioned for Max to follow.

"I'm sure we can make it work," she stated, flashing a grin in the darkness, "It's not even a hundred feet, I don't think. Easy peasy." They came up to the bench, now freed from the ground and just resting on its cement base.

"Take the far side," Chloe instructed, "Since I'm taller, it'll be a little bit easier with the incline that way." That made sense to Max, although she was far from an expert. Shrugging, she did as she was told. After a few more adjustments, they both lifted and started to shuffle down the path towards the truck.

As it turned out, the bench was light enough to lift with relative ease, although Max was pretty sure she wouldn't have been able to get it much further than the truck even if she wanted to. Actually lifting it up into the bed was a bit harder, but they still managed it. At that point, Max hurried down the road a little to keep watch while Chloe secured the bench on her truck and covered it in a tarp. At one point she was a pair of headlights coming down along the main road, but it didn't turn off for the park. Other than that, the coast was perfectly clear. At the sound of the truck's engine starting up, she hurried back and hopped up into the cab.

"So, did you have fun doing a crime with me?" Chloe asked, starting to inch down along the access road in the dark.

"I mean, I was kind of nervous the whole time, and I still am, really," Max answered, "But I have to admit, it _was_ fun pulling another late night heist with you." Chloe gave a triumphant smile.

"Glad I'm still a good bad influence on you," she teased, pulling into the parking lot from the access road and starting towards the street, "When you write your memoirs, this'll make for a great anecdote. 'The time I got seduced into stealing stuff by my sexy, commanding girlfriend.'"

"I doubt I'll ever write any memoirs or anything," Max replied, snickering a little, "All the most interesting parts of my life are secret. I guess they don't _have_ to be, but I feel like dropping the bomb that time travel is possible and I can do it would be a hard sell for a publisher."

"Or a super easy sell, if you proved it to 'em," Chloe pointed out. She flicked on the lights and turned onto the street.

"I guess, but I don't really want to, though," Max explained, "Telling the world that I can travel through time, even if it's only within my own lifespan and stuff, would complicate things way too much, I feel like. Better to just keep it under wraps."

"Even if you don't write about time travel, you're life's been plenty exciting," Chloe insisted, "You saved my life that time in the bathroom, you saved Kate, you helped blow the Jefferson thing wide open, that's all stuff you can point to and just not mention the rewinding. But even besides that, you had your art show, which was cool, and I bet you'll have a bunch more!"

"Yeah, that's the dream," Max sighed, "But that gets back to the 'may you live in interesting times' thing again, right? Like, ideally my memoirs would just be two hundred pages of 'and then I took a good picture and came home to my loving wife. Nothing went wrong. The end!'"

"Okay, that's not gonna be super compelling reading, I'll grant," Chloe agreed, laughing a little, "I do look forward to living it out with you, though. Being your loving wife you come home to and everything sounds pretty nice." Max smiled to herself, taking a second to imagine her future with Chloe. The idea of having a professional photography job to come home _from_ , and a home she shared with Chloe to come back _to_ , that just made her glow. Or maybe Chloe would be the one who traveled more and had long hours. Either way, the highlight would definitely be the time they'd spend together.

It didn't take too long to get back to Chloe's house. Really, it didn't take too long to drive anywhere in Arcadia Bay. Chloe turned off the headlights as they came up to her driveway, and eased up as quietly as she reasonable could in a pickup truck. From there they slipped in through the front door, pulled off their shoes, and padded up the stairs. Shutting Chloe's door behind them, Max let out a sigh of relief. They'd taken the bench and made it back without incident.

"Alright, I guess we should wash our hands and brush our teeth, then time for bed," Max declared, "I'm assuming we're in for the night, yeah?" Chloe nodded, setting her toolbox back down on her desk.

"Yup. Getting the bench was all I wanted to get done tonight," she confirmed, "All I wanted to get done out in town, anyway. I've got a lot of kisses I've been planning to throw your way now that that's taken care of." Max broke into a grin.

"I mean, this _is_ the point in the heist movie where the lead couple let the sexual tension finally boil over and start passionately making out," she remarked, affecting a nonchalant tone even as Chloe broke down snickering.

"I feel like that's _before_ the heist," the taller girl countered, stepping closer to where Max stood by the door, "That way the stakes are higher for the climax. Will they get out together? Will there be a last minute double cross? A triple cross? A _quadruple_ cross?!" She colored her speech with as much excitement as she could without raising her voice above their usual quiet late night level.

"Well, it's too late for that," Max observed, "Now, are you gonna smooch me or not?" They both snickered.

"I think I should wash up first," Chloe stated, holding up her smudged hands, "I got bolt grease gunk and stuff on my hands, and I know how you like having your hair stroked."

"Yeah, cleaning that off first would be nice," Max agreed, stepping aside and letting Chloe out into the hallway. She followed behind her tall companion, and wrapped her arms around Chloe's waist when she came to a halt in front of the bathroom sink.

"I'm liking these snuggles, though," Chloe remarked, "A nice stopgap measure. You have stopped there being a gap between us." Max laughed softly at the tortured wordplay, trying to mostly just enjoy the feeling of pressing up against Chloe's back, holding the taller girl close.

They didn't waste much time cleaning off their hands and brushing their teeth. The faster they finished all that, the faster they could get into bed, after all. For her part, Max was actually feeling kind of sleepy, and she could only assume Chloe was, too. More importantly, though, that would be when they'd get to just kiss, cuddle, and drift off to sleep in each other's arms. That or kiss, cuddle, make love, then kiss and cuddle some more, and _then_ drift off to sleep. Whichever way they ended up feeling.

"So, did our little holiday visit to Arcadia exceed expectations?" Max asked as she settled next to Chloe under the covers, shifting around to nestle in the taller girl's arms.

"Well, nobody screamed or cried, so there's that," Chloe mused, "But I guess there's still, like, twelve hours or whatever where that could still happen. We got a park bench out of the deal, though, and that's definitely an upgrade. Something to be thankful for, y'know?"

"Unfortunately, Thanksgiving is over," Max noted, affecting a sigh, "Otherwise you'd be able to blow everyone else out of the water with your thankfulness."

"'I'm thankful for this sentimental bench I stole,'" Chloe declared, "Yeah, that would definitely take the cake. People usually go for vague and generic, so they'd be caught off guard by my kickass rebellious gratitude."

"You'll just have to plan ahead for next year, I guess," Max remarked, nuzzling against Chloe's collarbone, "You can have something lined up to shock and impress everyone at the table." Really, she'd rather Chloe didn't get in the habit of committing an annual Thanksgiving crime, but it was fun to joke about.

"Where do you think we'll be for next year?" Chloe wondered out loud. They hadn't really talked about that sort of thing yet. Max would miss her parents if they came back to Arcadia Bay for Christmas, too, but Easter was the main holiday her family had set plans for. Once she and Chloe were established and had their own home and everything, she figured they could just both invite their respective parents over for Thanksgiving and Christmas and stuff. Like, that would still just be six people around the table, which was pretty manageable. Regardless, it was more than she wanted to think too much about right then.

"Together," Max said softly, "Next year and every year." No matter what else they wound up deciding, Max knew she wanted to prioritize that.

"Perfect," Chloe murmured, pressing a kiss to Max's scalp, "That's, like, my favorite place to be for any occasion!" Max hummed her approval of the kiss and sentiment before tilting her head up to smile at Chloe.

"Even Arbor Day?" Chloe snorted and nodded.

"Even Arbor Day," she confirmed, smirking. Max shifted up a little to bring her face closer.

"Even National Stamp Collecting Month?" Max was risking losing the romance of the moment in silliness, but silliness had never really been a barrier to romance for her and Chloe. Smiling, laughing kisses were pretty great, after all.

"Oh, _especially_ National Stamp Collecting Month," Chloe replied, leaning in so her nose brushed against Max's, "Don't know what I'd have done without you around for the last couple." Snickering, Max tilted her face just enough press her lips to Chloe's.

"I promise we'll be together for every holiday, then," Max breathed, giving Chloe a gentle squeeze and pressing herself close, "Every Thanksgiving and every Christmas and every Arbor Day and even every National Stamp Collecting Month."

"I'll hold you to that," Chloe murmured, a twinkle in her eye as she kissed Max again.


	132. Worth the Trouble

All Max's college apps were sent out by the start of December, and so now all there was for it was to wait. Chloe was anxious to hear back- Wherever Max went, she went, after all- but Max was definitely more antsy. Unfortunately, acceptances and rejections probably weren't coming out for a couple months yet, and there wasn't anything they could do at this point to affect the outcome. Well, they could be arrested, charged, and convicted for that whole bench theft thing, and that would probably hurt Max's odds. They seemed to be pretty home free on that one, though, so no worries there.

Getting the bench into the Caulfield house had been a bit of a hassle, though. Max had stated that the attic would be a pretty safe place for it, since her parents rarely went up there, but that still meant they had to lug the thing up a couple flights of stairs, clear out a space for it, then rearrange boxes so that it was hidden just in case Ryan or Vanessa poked around. Then, of course, they'd have to do all that in reverse once it was time to move out, _and_ somehow still hide it from Max's parents. If they cared, anyway, which Chloe kind of assumed they did. Like, _her_ mom would probably care that she'd stolen a park bench, and she'd had six years to get used to the idea that Chloe would do something like that.

That still left the waiting, though. Chloe and Max had tossed out some applications for seasonal work at a bunch of stores in the area, but even that just meant waiting to hear back from _them_. In the meantime, it was back to just sort of chilling around the house and going out into town when the weather was okay. It wasn't the most exciting life, granted, but Chloe figured there were a lot worse ways to spend time than cuddling with Max and watching TV.

"So, has your mom mentioned anything about wanting you back for Christmas, too?" Max asked, head resting in Chloe's lap as the two of them watched _Deep Space Nine_. Chloe had been running a hand through Max's hair, just idly stroking it the way she liked to when they were sitting around. Unlike Chloe, Max hadn't gotten a haircut since they'd been reunited, and now it fell a little past her shoulders. As far as Chloe was concerned, Max could never _not_ be cute, but it was fun seeing her with longer hair again.

"Nah, nothing specific," Chloe reported, shrugging, "Like, I'm sure we'd be welcome back and stuff, but she hasn't made a point of bringing it up like with Thanksgiving."

"I guess we'll have to figure out how we're dividing holidays at some point," the brunette remarked, sighing a little, "I don't want to isolate you from your mother or anything like that."

"You're not," Chloe assured her, brushing some hair back behind her so her face was more visible, "I don't want to exaggerate or be overly dramatic or whatever, but I had been pretty ready to get the hell out of that house for a while before we ran away together. The first half of this year was way better than the last couple years had been, but even then I was all set to move out as soon as you finished at Blackwell."

"I just don't want you and Joyce to fall out of contact," Max insisted, "It felt like you two had been patching things up by the time we moved out of Arcadia Bay." Chloe rolled her eyes. It was one thing for Max to micromanage her photos to get the best shot, but sometimes it felt like she was trying to do that with life, too. Things with Mom would even out with time, Chloe figured, and leaving it be to just happen organically was the best approach

"It's not your responsibility to fix things between me and my mom," she explained, "She doesn't have any trouble saying when she wants something. If there's a holiday we should spend in Arcadia Bay, she'll let me know."

"If you say so," Max grumbled, "Sorry, I'll try to stop being so nosy about stuff."

"Nosy Max is the girl I fell in love with," Chloe declared, softly stroking Max's cheek with her thumb, "So yeah, don't get too worked about stuff with my mom or anything, but don't feel bad for just being you, either. As far as problems in my life go, 'my girlfriend wants me to have a healthy relationship with my parent' isn't exactly a world-ender." Max lazily sat up then snuggled up close, draping her legs over Chloe's lap.

"I'd rather avoid being any kind of problem in your life," she mumbled, loosely wrapping her arms around Chloe's neck, "Y'know, if at all possible."

"We're gonna spend our lives together," Chloe pointed out, putting her arms around Max to hold the brunette up and keep her close, "I think it's probably unavoidable that we'll cause each other _some_ problems."

"When you put it like that, it sounds less bad," Max admitted, scooting up to sit all the way on Chloe's lap now and resting her forehead against Chloe's, "All part of the romance of growing old together as our real, imperfect selves and loving each other regardless." Her eyes sparkled, and Chloe felt herself getting lost in them.

"If it's any consolation, the pros definitely outweigh the cons," Chloe breathed, bringing a hand up to once again stroke Max's hair and the base of her neck, "By, like, a lot." Max giggled, tilting her face just enough to press her lips to Chloe's.

"That's good to hear," she murmured, "Otherwise this whole 'living together, sleeping together' thing would be pretty awkward."

"Yeah, telling you you're more trouble than you're worth while you're literally sitting on my lap would be pretty uncomfortable for both of us," Chloe agreed. Not wanting to leave that idea hanging in the air, even as part of their banter, she leaned in for another kiss, this one long and gentle. If nothing else, she wanted to balance it out with plenty of affection. Max wasn't as insecure as she was about that sort of thing- coming off as needy or clingy, "not being worth it" to people, shit like that- but Chloe still wanted to get rid of any doubts being stirred up in her mind just then.

"You're worth the trouble," Max declared breathlessly between kisses, "Not that you're actually any trouble, really. Just, like, to the extent there _has_ been any trouble, you've been worth it, and-"

"Max," Chloe whispered, cutting off the brunette and cupping her cheek, "It's fine. We're loving each other even though we're imperfect, remember?"

"Okay, yeah, sorry," the shorter girl managed to stammer, "Kissing, not worrying. Got it. Sorry." Chloe sighed but smirked.

"Don't apologize," she directed, speaking softly, "Not for trying to say sweet things, anyway. Your occasional derpitude is just part of that imperfect perfection of yours that I love so much." Max scoffed a little but shrugged gently, returning her lips to Chloe's.

"I'm glad you love my derps," Max remarked softly after another moment or two of kissing, "We're both growing to grow and change a lot over the years, but I'm pretty sure that's a feature that's gonna be sticking around."

"Wouldn't have it any other way," Chloe replied, grinning and giving Max a squeeze. After a bit more nuzzling and making out, they settled back down to keep watching their _Star Trek_ episode, albeit with Max sitting on Chloe's lap now. Really, it was only Chloe who was actually watching, strictly speaking, since Max couldn't get a good view of the TV. It was an episode they'd both seen before, though, so she could probably follow along just by listening. It wasn't important, anyway, just something to have on in the background while they cuddled.

In time the episode ended, and Chloe felt around for the remote to turn the TV off. Max was slumped against her, asleep or close to it, and she didn't make any fuss when the credits music was cut off. Chloe would have found it funny that the little brunette was sleepy in the middle of the afternoon when the two of them had mostly just lounged around the house all week, but she was pretty sure that it was because of stress. There wasn't anything they could do about the college applications one way or another at this point, but Chloe knew too damn well that powerlessness did _not_ help with stressing and overthinking. And stressing and overthinking were some of Max's specialties.

Moving as carefully as she could, Chloe supported Max with her arms and got to her feet. Max was pretty small, but even a petite person was still pretty heavy, all things considered, and it wasn't like Chloe spent her days pumping iron. Still, she managed to get upstairs to their room without jostling Max awake. Setting the brunette down on the bed, Chloe gently pulled a blanket up over her and tucked her in.

"Sleep tight, love," she whispered, leaning in to touch her lips to Max's forehead before padding over to the desk and opening up her laptop. If Chloe was on her own for a bit, she could at least poke around the internet looking for work. Or open up Steam and play some games. Probably that second thing.

After forty five minutes or so, Chloe heard Max starting to stir and mumble on the other side of the room. When the mumbling got more frantic sounding, Chloe got up and hurried over to the bed, sitting on the edge and stroking Max's hair again. This didn't seem like the same level of half-awake panic that Max had gone through in the first couple months after the hurricane, but Chloe wasn't particularly keen on Max being in any sort of distress, exceptional or otherwise.

"Chloe?" Max asked groggily, calming down at the touch and bringing her hand up to Chloe's.

"Yeah, I'm here," Chloe whispered, trying to keep her voice as soothing as possible. She'd done this plenty of times before, and their positions had been reversed more than once, so she wasn't _too_ worried. Just a normal, "Max is upset by something" level of worried.

"Sorry, I woke up alone and I just sort of panicked," the brunette explained, blushing and pushing herself up to a sitting position, "Guess I've gotten used to sleeping next to you again." Well, there was that, but also that she was stressing out about her college apps. Not much to be done about that, though, Chloe thought to herself. The most she could do was be there to take care of Max as best as she could.

"I can think of worse things," Chloe remarked, smiling and scooting a little closer to Max. The shorter girl slid over a bit to make room for Chloe to more comfortably sit next to her, and she settled readily into the blue haired girl's arms.

"Still, I _am_ sorry for making you rush over to comfort me and stuff," Max grumbled, resting her head against Chloe's shoulder, "I feel like I shouldn't cause this much trouble with just waking up!"

I'll just have to take naps with you from now," Chloe stated, "Just to be safe, y'know?" That earned a giggle, and Chloe let out a sigh of relief she'd lifted Max's spirits.

"How selfless of you," the brunette teased, "Putting yourself through so much hassle just for me!"

"Hey, you're worth the trouble," Chloe replied, grinning and turning to press a kiss to the top of Max's head.


	133. Next

"Is it Christmas yet?" Chloe asked despondently, starting the truck's engine.

"Not for another week, no," Max stated, buckling her seatbelt. The two of them had managed to land seasonal jobs at Target, and it was shaping up to be a bit of an adjustment. Like, making money was nice, but working around agitated customers and scrambling to meet the store's heightened holiday needs was making the whole thing a little chaotic. It kept Max's mind off her college applications, though, so at least there was that.

Time travel had turned out to be helpful in customer service. Max took precautions to make sure she wasn't just popping back into existence in front of people and stuff, but rewinding was handy in anticipating customers' needs. They'd ask their question, Max would figure out the answer, and then she'd rewind and give the answer calmly and quickly. She couldn't do it rapid fire or anything, but it had definitely payed off in her supervisor's opinion of her work.

For all her rebellious attitude, Chloe had taken to retail surprisingly well, all things considered. She hadn't gotten any complaints, at least. The way she described it, trundling stuff from the stock room onto the floor and shelving merchandise got her into a sort of rhythm she enjoyed. One she tolerated, anyway, and that was all you really needed to do with temp work.

Still, it would be a relief when it was all over. It would probably be best for Max and Chloe to find some kind of work to fill the time between New Year's and when Max started college- If she started college. Oh _God._ \- but even that would hopefully involve fewer distraught customers frantically asking why they weren't carrying this toy or that gadget. Prone as she was to overthinking, Max had been trying to just plan through the end of the year, leaving the other stuff to tackle later.

"Well, at least that's another week of Christmas music," Chloe sighed, turning on the radio and pulling out of the parking lot, "And a week and a half before Christmas lights are on sale for, like, seventy five percent off."

"What, you need Christmas lights?" Max asked, amused that that was where Chloe's mind had went.

"I figure we could string them up in your room," the blue haired girl explained, "I liked having Christmas lights back in Arcadia Bay, so it'd be fun to get some for here, too. And then we can take them with us wherever we go next." _Next_. Next could be anywhere from here to Portland to Los Angeles to Chicago to Savannah to New Haven. Moving back to Arcadia Bay just for a year had felt daunting enough, but four years of college made Max's head spin.

"Not satisfied with my little paper lamps, huh?" Max teased, trying not to think too hard about the future. She'd been doing that so much lately she was getting almost good at it.

"I think of those sort of as part of your photo wall," Chloe stated, "Like, that's kind of an art installation or whatever. These would just be for stringing around the room to look pretty."

"I wouldn't mind that," Max remarked, taking a moment to smile at the memory of many a night spent in Chloe's room lit by the glow of her string of lights. Recreating that one particular aspect of life in Arcadia Bay would be nice, she thought to herself. Plus, that would give Chloe something to put in the room that was her own. She'd just brought some clothes and necessities when they'd moved back up to Seattle, leaving all her posters and most of her keepsakes back home. Max hoped that the next room they got to share would reflect the two of them as a couple, rather than just the one or the other. Well, there she'd gone thinking about the future again. This was a lot nicer than stressing out about colleges, though.

"Not that your room doesn't look pretty enough as it is," Chloe added, "You've got a good eye for aesthetics. Plus, most of the pictures are of you. And you're pretty." She glanced over to smile at Max before returning her attention to the street.

"There are a lot of pictures of you now, too," Max pointed out, "You're _really_ pretty."

"We can probably safely say we both dig the way the other looks," Chloe said, laughing a little, "Decorations are nice, but when we're together I'm mostly just looking at you, anyway."

"Except when you're driving," Max noted.

"Except when I'm driving," Chloe agreed. Chloe was lax about a lot of rules- school attendance, the drinking age, breaking and entering laws, to name a few- but she did not mess around when it came to driving, typically.

It didn't take long to get home. One of the unintended benefits of their wonky newbie seasonal schedule was that they got to avoid rush hour. Getting home late in the evening would probably be a problem for adults- well, Max and Chloe _were_ adults, but Max still didn't feel much like one- but it actually worked out pretty well for them, considering they tended to stay up late when left to their own devices, anyway.

Mom and Dad were on their way up to bed by the time Max and Chloe hung up their coats, although the four of them stood for a few quick updates on the day and to exchange goodnights. After that, the two girls meandered into the kitchen to find something to eat. Chloe had gotten pretty good at cooking over the last year or so, and Max could throw together a meal when necessary. Their shift had left them kind of beat, though, so they just grabbed some snacks from the pantry and shuffled into the den to chill out on the couch. Maybe not the most constructive use of time, but Max didn't care too much.

"I think chips and salsa is, like, the dinner of champions," Chloe declared, dipping a chip.

"That might be a bit of an exaggeration," Max countered, nevertheless enjoying a chip of her own, "But it works for us. For now, anyway. At some point our stomachs will probably rebel over this sort of thing."

"What? Salsa would never betray me," Chloe replied, "Chips and dip is a meal that will stand by you until the bitter end." Max snorted at the overblown language.

"I'm pretty sure the body gets less tolerant of this junk food 'like a meal but not really' kind of thing as you age," she insisted, "We'll be in our late twenties and our bodies will be all 'no more chips. Please, give me a vegetable!'"

"Guess we should enjoy it while we can," Chloe sighed, "Suddenly I don't wanna get any older."

"Well, you're gonna have to," Max stated, "I want to enjoy a nice, long life with you."

"And just like that, getting older sounds better again," Chloe declared, leaning over to nudge Max's shoulder with her head, "If it means I get to stay with you, I'm willing to eat like a grownup."

"That's good to hear," Max said, "But, I mean, we can still keep on eating chips and salsa for dinner _now_."

"I mean, we're too far in to stop now," Chloe observed, "May as well stick with it." Max snorted and leaned over to rest her head against Chloe's shoulder. Tomorrow maybe she'd make a point of cooking herself a real meal, but for tonight she was content to just keep snacking.

"It's weird to think about the future, though," the blue haired girl remarked after a few minutes, "Like, not long-term plans and stuff like that. We're not even talking about long-term plans right now, right? Just the idea of The Future-" she waved her hands in the air for effect. "-is surreal. I'm gonna change some. _You're_ gonna change some. If nothing else, most of the cells we have right now will have replaced themselves within a decade. It's just pretty mindboggling." Dammit, it was. Now Max could add "existential" to the list of dreads she felt about the future.

"The change will probably be so gradual that we won't even notice," Max suggested, to ease her own panic as much as to ease Chloe's, "Thinking about it makes it seem staggering, but hopefully it won't _feel_ so monumental as we experience it."

"Yeah, one thing at a time, I guess," Chloe agreed, "One foot in front of the other, inch by inch, all that sort of stuff."

"Whatever else is coming down the road, we know what the next week is gonna be like, at least," Max pointed out, "Basically like today, but a few times in a row." Chloe nodded.

"Yup, there it is," she sighed, "The future gets easier to deal with in bite-sized chunks." She chomped into a chip for effect.

"Lifetimes into years, years into months, months into weeks," Max said, "Then weeks into days, days into hours, hours into minutes, minutes into seconds. Smaller and smaller 'nexts.'" They sat in silence again for a moment or two.

"I love the way you talk," Chloe whispered, wrapping an arm around Max and giving her a gentle squeeze, "I know you're a photographer, but I feel like your artsiness seeps into everything about you." Max smiled at the compliment and nuzzled against Chloe's shoulder a bit.

"I try," she murmured, "A lot of the time I think it just comes out derpy. But I'm glad you like my weird, pretentious way of saying things."

"You are my weird, pretentious little derp, and I adore you," Chloe assured her, turning to press a kiss to her forehead, "Now and tomorrow and always."

"That makes whatever's coming next seem a bit less intimidating," Max sighed, shifting around to rest more snugly against Chloe and closing her eyes for a moment.

"In the 'always' sense or the 'tomorrow' sense?" Chloe asked, a smile in her voice, "Because basically everything within the next week is planned out, and none of it's _too_ intimidating. Just work."

"Both senses," Max replied, curling her legs up onto the couch, "All those 'nexts' I was talking about, from lifetimes down to seconds, they're all easier to deal with when I'm with you."

"Well, I'll be with you tomorrow, and the next day, and hopefully all the days after that," Chloe declared, her voice soft as she nuzzled her cheek against the top of Max's head.

"Definitely," Max agreed, unwilling to entertain any other possibility. She turned a little to nestle more closely against Chloe, feeling herself starting to doze off. Whatever tomorrow brought, she and Chloe could handle it together. And then the same thing for the next day. And the next day after that. That didn't completely solve her anxieties and fears about their long-term future, of course. That would take more than some cuddling and banter. But for the moment, she was content, and that was enough.


End file.
